


Everybody loves Jihyo

by Nana_san



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2020-01-04 12:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 55,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18343415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nana_san/pseuds/Nana_san
Summary: My collection of one-shots with Jihyo. Not necessarily long ones.





	1. Real quick message

Okay, so, real talk, real quick here.

I tend to have lots of one-shot ideas and, about 98% of them don't make up for long enough stories, so I end writing them halfway and just file them away when I see I can't really develop to a satisfying extent.

 

SO! I decided to just put them all out there, since they all aren't that bad, and will just sit around not doing anything otherwise.

 

Also, I do consider prompts, but yall gots to tell me what yall are thinking properly, otherwise I won't be able to develop the idea and just give up on it. 

 

OH! One more thing, I love comments, so don't hesitate to drop them.


	2. Silence - Jeonghyo

“I missed you.”

“You see me everyday, Jeong.” 

“It’s not the same, I missed this, us, hanging out together.”

“You should be hanging out with your girlfriend. We still see each other enough.” Jihyo tries to not let her bitterness show.

“You have been hanging out with Momo a lot, lately.”

“I thought we didn’t do jealous between us.”

“I’m not jealous, it’s just- Nevermind.” 

“Jeong, you are in a relationship, have been for a year already. You have to let some things go.”

Jeongyeon, the girl had been dating Myoui Mina for a year, and Jihyo was miserable ever since. Jihyo loved Jeongyeon, she tried to blame it on the first love buzz, but that wasn’t exactly right. But Jihyo never said anything, she would bite her tongue out if that meant Jeongyeon would be happy, hell, she ripped out her very heart. Obviously, Jihyo wasn’t about to just let Jeongyeon date anyone she didn’t trust, and she definitely didn’t trust Myoui Mina, but she was also not about to say anything to Jeongyeon, she just hoped the girl would see her girlfriend for who she really was.

So Jihyo bit back the poison filled words, still smiled, and was reminded Jeongyeon didn’t know how a fake smile looked on her anymore. They hadn’t even talked to each other for about five months before today, mere good mornings when they ran into each other before classes, but that was that, and Jihyo was copoing, Momo was there to understand and hold her hand throughout everything. She was trying to not let Jeongyeon get to her anymore, and today she found out it was working.

“I don’t want to let things go.” Jeongyeon answers, taking the other girl out of her thoughts.

“It’s not about you, Jeong. We were great friends, we grew up, found new people and are not that close anymore. It’s normal, nothing to beat yourself up about.”

“But-” 

“Jeongyeon, just stop, please. I’m not having this conversation with you again. Try and be happy with what you have, and be happy for me, as a friend should.”

“I’m happy for you, really. I just don’t like how that Momo girl ha-”

“You will not offend Momo in front of me, do you understand?” Jihyo was furious.

“Bu-”

“I did not stutter, and I was very clear. You will never talk bad about her again, or we are done.”

“See, she took you away from me.” Jeongyeon was throwing a tantrum.

“She means a lot to me. That woman is more important than you will ever know, so you either stop trying to blame her for your absence, or just leave us alone altogether.” Jihyo tried to sound calm, fake a smile to lighten up the conversation.

“So you like her that much, huh?” It worked.

“Yes. Speaking of liking, aren’t you supposed to be with Mina right now? Your birthday is coming up, is she gonna take you to that concert you’ve been posting about?”

“I don’t know, but she is late, maybe went to get the tickets?” 

Jihyo has to down half her scolding coffee to keep down the scoff and the bile that was bubbling up. The, suddenly, the café doors are opened and Dahyun barges in, she turns to Jeongyeon and just says ‘Mina’, the girl starts running. Jihyo is dragged by Dahyun, as a student council representative, she should respond to trouble, no matter how far away she wanted to be from the scene.

They arrive at the back of the main building, where a crowd has already formed, and some choice words in Japanese can be heard screamed out for the entire student body to appreciate. Jeongyeon is trying to make her way through the thick crowd, Jihyo was standing there, thinking of a way to get away without being noticed. When they lock eyes, the older girl silently pleads for help, and the other just resigns herself to her fate.

Jihyo whips out her student council badge, managing to demand passage with it. When she gets to the center, there is Myoui Mina beating a Minatozaki Sana to a pulp, Jihyo knew Sana, she and her fiancè, Im Nayeon owned a small supplies shop near the campus, they were among the nicest people she had ever met, and very much NOT the type to fight anyone. Jihyo sees that Sana is just trying to take as few blows as she can manage, and not moving to lay a single punch back, so she jumps in, trying to save her friend.

Jihyo pulls Mina by her waist, putting herself between the two, a flash of recognition goes through Mina’s eyes, and a punch is landed on Jihyo’s stomach. Myoui pushes her aside and tries to go back to Sana, but the shorter girl tackles her again, managing to give her a very clear view of her and her student council badge, it earns her a sickly grin, and a torrent of very well placed punches on her face. The official tries to glance around and sees that Sana is being taken away by Nayeon, she sighs, at least one innocent girl is safe. 

So the shorter girl allows herself to be beaten, she knows Jeongyeon should be coming through the crowd soon, and will be able to stop Mina. This woman was evil, she knew very well what she was doing, and she knew Jihyo would do nothing right then.

“MINA!” 

There it was, Jihyo’s release. The punches stop, and she feels the other girl’s weight being removed from over her. What she sees, though, is Jeongyeon checking on her very clearly unhurt girlfriend, not herself, she locks eyes with Myoui, the woman smirks devilishly, turning it into a innocent and shocked look within seconds.

“Oh my god! Are you alright? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Her voice is sickening.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Jihyo responds, managing a polite smile despite all.

“What? Jihyo, are you alright?” Jeongyeon asks, finally seeing her ‘friend’.

“I’m alright. Don’t worry.” Jihyo says, picking herself up.

“Babe, can you help me with my bag?” Mina asks, and Jeongyeon turns her back immediately.

“I hope that will, finally, teach you to stay away. Why did you get into my business?” Mina asks, close enough so her tobacco breath could be smelled.

“It’s my job.” Jihyo answers, showing her badge once more. “Not exactly my choice to look at your face willingly.”

“Yeah, right.” The woman scoffs. “Just back off, already. She is mine, it’s me who she comes home to, me who she chose, me who is on top of her every night. I’m not giving her up to a coward like you, just stay away.” 

“Are you sure you are alright?” Jeongyeon asks again, back with her and mina’s bags.

“I’m fine, just go home, Jeongyeon.” Jihyo answers, untangling herself, earning a nod from the offender.

“Okay, just call me if you need anything.” The older one says as the couple leave.

Jihyo allows herself to scoff that time, she wasn’t calling, ever again. Her face hurt, her stomach hurt, but her heart was finally smeared to a point of no return. She knew Jeongyeon didn’t hear a word Mina said to her, even if she did, the coward made sure to speak in japanese, a language Jeongyeon couldn’t speak a word of, but Jihyo was fluent.

The council representative decided it was time to find the other victim, she had become great friends with the couple, and knew the only trouble they would ever find themselves into was Nayeon declaring her love for herself to very late students that made the mistake of going to their shop on a tight schedule. Those two were the type to catch roaches and release them back to ‘their dark alleys’, refusing to hurt a single soul. Luckly, she didn’t have to go far to find them, the couple was seated on a bench behind one of the big trees, they would spend lunch there together often, it was easy to find if you knew the way.

“Ji, come sit down.” Nayeon ushered her, seeing how she was limping their way.

“Are you alright, Sana? Do you need to see the nurse? A doctor?” Jihyo asks, honestly worried, but sitting down regardless. She felt safe with the couple.

“Stop taking, you are drooling blood. Just wash your mouth with this water and I’ll get to you.” Nayeon commands, finishing off with her fiancè’s face.

Jihyo obeys, she takes a gulp and moves the water around her mouth, before spitting it out on the trash can close by. Sitting herself back down, Sana envelops her in a hug, despite being hurt herself. Nayeon just scolds her for moving before cleaning the younger woman’s face as well.

“It’s not broken, so you should be alright without a doctor.” The eldest declares, after being done.

“Thanks Nayeonnie.” 

“How are you holding up, Ji? Your face didn’t look all that great before you stepped in, and we both saw how the beating stopped.” Sana asks, managing a loving smile, despide her busted lips.

“It’s alright. It’s over anyways, nothing to be worried about anymore.” 

They met during an afternoon about a year and a half before, Jihyo was trying to get out of student council work, and decided that she would listen to Nayeon talk about herself the whole afternoon. Sana tried to ‘save her’ many times during that afternoon, but Jihyo insisted it was fine. The youngest kept coming back time and again, Jeongyeon had accompanied her once, and the couple asked the next visit, she told them all about it, and they grew closer and closer. There is where she met Momo as well, Sana’s cousin, and they got to be the best of friends, until the older japanese confessed and Jihyo found herself telling her everything.

Momo asked for an open heart and the will to try, nothing more, and Jihyo couldn’t find it within herself to deny the girl, so they had been dating-but-not-quite for about seven months. Surprisingly, after being beat by Myoui Mina and left behind, once more, by Yoo Jeongyeon, all Jihyo really wanted was to see her not-quite-yet-girlfriend, no drama, no suffering because her ‘friend’ didn’t even bat an eye before leaving, just curl herself into Momo’s arms and be pampered.

“Are you sure? Aren’t you two friends, at least?” Nayeon questioned, bringing Jihyo out of her wondering.

“Yeah, I am. I’m noone to her, haven’t been for almost an year already. It’s past the time to walk away.” The youngest gets up and looks for something in her backpack.

“Ji-” Sana gets cut off with said girl handing them an envelope without another word.

The couple take it, knowing something was very wrong, worry and some fear etched on their faces. Sana opens the envelope, showing Nayeon it’s contents, both look back up, seeing the lone figure limping away from them, a tear escapes the older one’s eyes. They look back at the two concert tickets on their hands, Sana messages Momo, she doesn’t want any harsh decisions to be made that day. And Jihyo’s empty eyes should never be taken lightly, they had learned it the hard way.


	3. In my defense... - MiNaHyo

Nayeon messed up, she knew it as soon as she did it, but now was too late for her to do anything about it. In her defense, she was just sitting there when Jihyo placed those glorious melons in front of her eyes behind a weak excuse for a bra. She knew she was done for the moment her eyes left her phone screen, and now she was trying to figure out the fastest way to die and save herself the slow torture and suffering she would face otherwise.

They were just sitting around on their hotel room, just back from dry rehearsal for their next weekend of concerts, this time, Jihyo was sharing the room with Mina and her. Nayeon was innocently lazing on the couch, waiting for Jihyo to finish getting ready (their leader had insisted on being the last to shower as always), Mina was right beside her, but luck was never her fiend, and whatever the shortest one needed happened to be in the cabinet above the exact seat she had taken.

Everyone had always made nasty comments about the older 97 girl’s body, they all knew. Hell, there were even some very distasteful montages floating around, what nobody but their group knew, however, is that Jihyo’s heavenly figure was subject of adoration among the girls, and they were all very blessed when allowed to worship it however they were allowed. So, seeing it displayed right in front of her like that, Nayeon had no other option but dive in, face first. You can’t really blame her for that, can you?

Mina, on the other hand, had grown very silent as soon as it happened, her face void of anything, and that gave the eldest the very bad kind of chills. What nobody really knew, is that Mina is a very talkative person, if one gives her the chance, and Jihyo, bless her heart, would always go out of her way to make conversation with the girl. So, Mina being silent was a very bad sign for ms Im. Jihyo had sat herself on the chair across from the duo, and was looking too amused by the situation.

It was torture for Nayeon, felt like hours (it had been less than ten minutes, but she had screwed up and was panicking), she tried fiddling with her phone, shifted in her seat constantly, tried to make eye contact with Mina, failed miserably, looked for Jihyo to help her out, only received a shrug and a shit-eating grin, drank from her water, chocked, wiped her forehead, knocked her glasses off, then gave up. It was too late, she was done for, so she just accepted her fate and sighed.

“Can we talk about the elephant in the room?” Mina asks, incredibly amused but managing really well to hold herself back.

“Your sexuality?” Nayeon fires whatever comes to her mind.

“What?” Mina asks, still holding herself masterfully.

“You think I don’t see you with Sana? You two are gayer than Broadway’s cast for Priscilla.” Nayeon keeps sputtering nonsense.

Mina pauses. 

Jihyo is on a full on laughing fit, no regards whatsoever to anyone else.

“I figured you would have realised that after we’ve been dating for a year, Nayeon!” Mina scolds, not believing what she is hearing.

Said girl starts mumbling whatever, Jihyo was already far gone, and Mina couldn’t manage herself any longer, so they were just laughing like maniacs, watching Nayeon trying to be offended that they were having that much fun with her and apologise, while feeling guilty, for having motorboat Jihyo right in front of her girlfriend. Alright, the whole group were open among themselves, but the couples would always talk to each other before making a move on another. A rule they had to make after Jeongyeon and Dahyun got freaky on a day Chaeyoung was planning a date with her girlfriend, just to find her with one leg on her best friend’s shoulder while doing a one arm stand (don’t ask).

On that day, Chaeyoung got very upset, Jihyo sat everyone down and went on a speech about respecting your girlfriend, properly bringing it up if anyone wanted to make a move on another member, getting consent from all parts involved and demanding that everyone would warn them on the group chat about who was being creative with who, she didn’t want to ever walk in on Momo giving a lap dance to Tzuyu AND Chaeyoung on their living room couch ever again. Some things were never meant to be seen by whomever wasn’t involved.

Mina, sneakily, had removed Nayeon from their hook up chat, and warned everyone she would be having fun with her girlfriend and Jihyo that night, already having talked to the leader about it and planning everything to the last detail. Seeing THE Im Nayeon lose her confidence and get desperate like that was extremely endearing to boh girls, and it made for great foreplay to them, nayeon always got a bit moody after these things, and she was the third cutest pouter of the group, first being Chaeyoung and second being the mastermind behind this all. Both girls perk up on the last sentence, though.

“In my defence, I would totally have understood if you did it.” nayeon said, referring to Mina. “I mean, it’s Jihyo, and they were right there, glorious as ever.”

“Nayeon, it’s okay. We meant for you to do it.” Mina says, having calmed herself down.

“What?” The eldest, for once, is speechless.

“I planned it, Jihyo was humoring me. The three of us are having fun tonight, I just wanted another kind of fun before we got to it.” The youngest was grinning mischievously.

“So this was all for me to prank me?” Sure enough, the pout came out.

“Hey, we just wanted to get you worked up a little. I know how much better you like it after you get angry.” The penguin had a very raspy and very lust filled voice.

“I’m not angry.” But the pouting says otherwise.

Jihyo was already in front of the two by then, she never really put her shirt on, bends down and captures Mina’s lips in a very demanding and very arousing little make out session, purposely standing on the other side of the eldest, and stretching her body right in front of Nayeon’s face. At that, the eldest just gulps, puts her phone on the table and decides it was, indeed, better after she got angry, specially with these two.


	4. Insatiable, sated - Sunmi x Jihyo

Jihyo had the biggest budget to ever be allocated to anyone working on JYPE, why? Simple, she needed it. Usually, JYPE would give their employees a corporate card with a limit proportional to their positions and needs, hers suprassed Jinyoung’s himself. She was the leader of the company’s most popular group, her members and managers also had pretty generous limits themselves, but hers was just ridiculous. The reason might be simpler than one might think, but the circumstances made everything absurdly difficult.

Twice was a rather peculiar group, they had five alphas, two omegas and two zetas, not a single beta. Normally, alphas and betas were the ones to pursue the spotlight, being more fit for the part, zetas as well, but those were really rare, but omegas weren’t as uncommon as zetas, they were still not that good of a fit to the public life, given their nurturing nature. As one might think, not just having zetas, but having two zetas was a very rare occurrence, so the group turned heads wherever they went.

Betas were powered up omegas, to put it simply, they were stronger and stood in a grey area, where they could either mate omegas or be mated, their genetics would adapt accordingly. Zetas, on the other hand, were light versions of alphas, being stronger and more dominant than betas, by far, and having the ability to mate either omegas, betas or each other, although would also be mated by alphas. The zetas were a rather new mutation, having been around for the past hundred years or so, according to the historic registrations, so, one could understand why it was baffling that two were found on the same group.

Obviously, the girls knew their zetas were great when needed, but that was the problem, with five alphas, they never needed to be. And so, the girls were stuck with Pabo 1 and Pabo 2, going by the stage names of Momo and Tzuyu, those two were the real children among them, their innocent souls evoked a protection instinct within the entire group, obviously, expressing themselves differently. 

It came as a very unfortunate surprise when Pabo 1 & 2 were mated by Idiots 1 & 2, Nayeon and Jeongyeon, now, there is a titanic difference between the titles, and that is, the Pabos were called that by their childish innocence and difficulty with korean, which made them a bit awkward on the daily. The idiots, on the other hand, were just a pair of dumbasses with a knack for trouble that had Jihyo on her toes every waking hour, she was surprised she was restraining herself from killing them for so long.

The other two alphas of the group, on the other hand, were two angels, a stark contrast to their partners, that would try and make things as easy as they could for their leader, usually they never managed to do much, but Jihyo always appreciated the sentiment. It wasn’t that they were inept, but having to control their mates who would get out of hand fast and try to manage two other troublemaking alphas, Mina and Dahyun often found themselves useless.

The two omegas, that behaved like zetas and felt like betas were another handful, Sana was, well, Sana, then again, Chaeyoung was Chaeyoung and that was enough to explain a third of Jihyo’s headaches. Mina managed to calm Sana down a lot after they mated, but Dahyun was a cupcake, a known fact, and she was useless in taming Chaeyoung, unless in heat where the inner alpha would emerge. But Jihyo loved them all and that was what mattered most.

Not to Twice’s head alpha, the one in charge, the captain of that mess that many came to love so dearly, Park Jihyo, she was a very powerful alpha, that was a given, unmated, she managed to subdue countless other alphas that decided to get funny with her girls, while they were still not mated, and the ones that would still do it after. Despite her looks, small, fluffy and adorable, she was among the crème-de-la-crème regarding her status, but there was something else to her. Of course there was, I wouldn’t be telling this tale if there weren’t.

Jihyo held so much of the ‘alpha power’ that she was able to extinguish any heat by simply being in the vicinity, no matter how strong it had came of to whom, mated, unmated, first heat, induced heat, post-suppressant heat, if she was near, it would be sated in a matter of minutes. She was tired of being called over by the company and/or other close groups to help whenever the situation turned bad. She remembers fondly one day when GFriend’s manager came running to her on the waiting room for music bank and pleaded (the woman truly kneeled) for her to help calm the group down, Sowon (a omega if you believe it) had gotten in heat and triggered the rest of the group, so they had three alphas and three omegas about to go wild in the dressing room.

The woman merely entered, sat down on a chair and played on her phone for a few minutes. It was all it took for the six unmated and heat crazed girls to calm down and come back to their senses, the abnormal heat being suppressed completely and no other mishap until it was time for the group’s real heat period. She got a very big fruit basket as a thank you from the manager after, it made her feel a bit bad for accepting but the woman was so adamant that she felt worse refusing, Jeongyeon, and the Pabos made quick work of the thing anyways.

And that brings us to the reason Jihyo had the biggest budget in the company, she would suppress any heat, and that, as they found very soon into debut, was extremely unhealthy for all involved. So, having it simply extinguished the entire time had the group getting sick too often, and being sent to the hospital to have them all checked. Turned out, Jihyo had been causing it all, and so the medical team came up with a schedule, that needed the alpha to be out of town periodically so the rest of the group could have their heat. They were too close, so simply leaving the dorm might not be enough.

With that, Jihyo got her license early on, was given a car and all the money she might need, then sent away so her members could go through their heat cycles. Usually, the company would try and have her attend solo schedules or she would just go visit her parents, nothing much, and nothing that would consume as much resources as were available. Occasionally, she would splurge, that meant she would bring her mother to a massage and buy her sisters some clothes and her father a gift, nothing really big for JYPE, so nobody really minded.

The group, of course, was always apologetic about it, they felt terrible having to shoo the girl away from her own home just so they could get busy. Jihyo never spoke about her real feelings, well, regarding anything, but especially about the situation, Nayeon and Jeongyeon were firm believers that the girl was very hurt, Tzuyu and Mina had noticed Jihyo would get distant (more than usual) everytime heat day was approaching. Dahyun and Sana actually went out of their way and sat the little alpha down, demanded for her to tell them the truth, received a small smile and a ‘I’m fine’ and were told to stop worrying.

Truth be told, Jihyo was lonely, alone since birth, she was always the one seeing everyone around her find their mates and have someone by their side, while she was left behind. Eventually, she stopped trying to delude herself with the fantasy she would ever be wanted, her members were nice, sure, but she was an alpha, she needed someone to call hers, and that wasn’t going to happen, not for a freak like herself. So, she had been letting herself drown in those feelings for months now, then the time for her to leave came by once again, this time around she had some collaboration special to perform.

So, no going too far, she would have to come back into town to attend the meetings. Turned out, it was a JYP tribute stage, she would be performing with Suzy, Yubin and Sunmi, the group selected by Jinyoung himself. There were three stages, Nobody, Good Girl; Bad Girl and So Hot (the usual), so she just checked in at a hotel on the opposite end of Seoul, and hoped it would be enough, she really couldn’t bail on this. But, being utterly sad as she was, Jihyo decided she wanted to have… Company, for the evening. It wouldn’t be the first time she tried (key word being try), it never really worked, and she never really managed to get past greeting, but she wanted to do it too. 

An escort would come as she requested, the alpha would answer the door, the escort would come in, they would introduce themselves, and that would be that. Whatever man or woman that would come by, they always ended up sitting on the couch and talking to each other, as none could manage to rile themselves up to do the deed. It would be comic if it wasn’t so sad. Therefore, as usual, Jihyo was sitting on the couch, talking to the woman who was supposed to entertain her for the evening. She would always pay them, all spent their time listening to her, and she could say things she could never speak about with anyone else. 

PD-nim knew, but the rule was going to bars, something she never really did, and he would always interrogate all that came out of her hotel rooms himself. So, with a broken heart about what he would hear regarding his girl, and, if it helped, he didn’t intend to cut it off. The things the escorts would tell him were worrying, but he had his hands tied until Jihyo would come to him herself. Which, wasn’t happening anytime soon, not after his ‘a leader gives’ talk he had with them, he knew she would give up her entire self for the group, and he knew things were bound to go bad soon, but, for now, this was all they could do to try and help the girl.

Morning came, Jihyo hadn’t slept a wink the previous night, sure, she talked to someone, but it was never enough, her inner alpha was always raging, and she had no clue where to even begin handling things. She heard from Nayeon and Jeongyeon (a very uncomfortable conversation both had forced her into) that things came naturally when with your mate, but she didn’t have one, she didn’t have anybody that was even willing to help her with it. Momo and Tzuyu might have been able to shine some light on the matter, as zetas, but nobody was really expecting them to. Therefore, with a raging headache, a frustration that had made home within herself and feeling hungover without having drunk a single drop of liquor, Twice’s lead vocal showered, got ready and headed to MakeUs for the first meeting.

Things went well, despite Sunmi and Yubin seemingly having found a very interesting topic to discuss among themselves soon after she arrived. Suzy came in last, carrying a letter for her, from Nayeon (the girl was a mess but knew how to care for her dongsaengs). They talked, divided the parts and scheduled their rehearsals, all very formal, but it was a first meeting and those things needed to be discussed. Having known each other for years, they were already comfortable and the ‘getting used to each other’ phase was out of the window. Jihyo had gone over with her manager, leaving her without a ride when the woman was called in for a emergency and leaving her to ride with Suzy.

The group was well balanced, Having Jihyo and Yubin as alphas, Sunmi as a zeta and Suzy as an omega, Yubin had mated with Jo Kwon years back, it was a surprise for everyone, and Suzy was with Taecyeon for years now, that left Sunmi and Jihyo as the only unmated ones. Jihyo was young, so nobody really questioned, but Sunmi has had some candidates over the years, none had managed to tie her down, though, and the real reason was never really known. Nobody really questioned that much, though, with all the Wonder Girls disbanding, solo debuting and agency changing stress, people just really assumed she never had the time to really invest in a relationship.

“Jihyo, do you think you can get back by yourself? Tae just sent me a message saying he was coming to pick me up.” Suzy approaches her apologetically.

“Yeah, I can manage. Don’t worry too much.” 

“What’s up? Does our little girl need something?” Yubin came to and hugged her from the back.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was going get a ride back with Suzy-unnie, but she just said Tae-oppa was picking her up. So I’ll just get a cab or something.” Jihyo gives them a smile.

“Bollocks! Jo and I can take you back to the dorm. We can’t just let you go alone.” Yubin protests.

“Exactly what kind of unnies would we be if we just leave you at the mercy of public transportation.” Sunmi chips in.

“The normal kind? I mean, it’s not like I’ve never used public transport before. Plus, I’m not going to the dorm, so no need to get out of your way to give me a ride.” Jihyo tries to negotiate.

“That might be, but you weren’t Twice’s Jihyo back then. And where are you going? I could take you, I’m driving alone anyways.” The zeta questions.

“Im going, literally, the other way across town. My manager had to tend to some emergency with the girls, and I am very much capable of getting a cab on my own.”

“It’s decided, then, Miyah will take you. Message us when you get to where you are going. Both of you.” Yubin declares, as she sees Kwon stopping the car at the door.

Suzy also bids them goodbye and leaves with Yubin, Taecyeon had messaged her that he arrived. Sunmi just hides her grin and takes Jihyo’s hand to guide her to her car. The first few minutes are silent, Jihyo was putting the address for her hotel on the GPS, then Sunmi can’t help herself but ask away. Both were always very open with each other, and reservations were a thing of the past.

“Hyo, are you gonna talk to me or do I have to pry it out of you?”

“Miyah-unnie, what exactly should I be telling you?” She was honestly asking.

“First, why aren’t you at your dorm? And how come you are staying in this super expensive hotel?”

“Oh, that’s a long conversation. But we could have dinner and you can ask me whatever it is that’s bothering you?”

“You got smarter…… And smoother.” Sunmi laughs.

The duo makes small talk for the rest of the ride, cracking jokes at each other, and catching up, it was a nice ride, and Jihyo didn’t think about her closed off feelings during that time. Sunmi was always good at making her not feel like a waste of space, the younger one felt comfortable, and the zeta was genuinely interested in how she was feeling, what she was thinking. Jihyo, in turn, liked the woman very much, always had, and made sure to never forget to show it. Soon, they’d arrived, had sent the collab group chat a message that they were eating together, and found themselves eating snobbish fancy food over teasing and laughter.

“Are you gonna have a serious conversation with me now?” Sunmi asks, as soon as they enter the room.

“Are you spending the night?”

“Don’t change the subject, Hyo.”

“I’m not, I just want to know if I should lend you some clothes so you can shower and get comfy before we talk.”

“You really are a doll, you know that?! Sure, I’ll spend the night. BUT! We are having this talk.”

“Yes ma’am. Now go shower, there is an extra toothbrush in there too.”

Sunmi laughs and proceeds to the bathroom first, Jihyo’s phone rings at some point, it was PD-nim checking in on her. She was ever thankful to him, the man did anything and everything in his power to help her, and felt like a father to her.

“Hello.”

“Jihyo-yah, Suzy told me she couldn’t give you a ride. Did everything work out?”

“PD-nim, good evening. Yes, Sunmi-unnie volunteered to take me. She is sleeping over, it has been a while since we talked.”

“Oh, that’s nice. Can I talk to her for a minute?”

“Sure, I’ll go and see if she has finished showering. Just a moment, please.”

“No rush.”

Jihyo waddles to the bathroom, not hearing the shower any longer, she decides to knock.

“Miyah?”

“Yeah?”

“PD-nim is on the phone, he wants to talk to you.”

“Just a moment.” It takes just a little for Sunmi to open the door in her toweled glory.

“Here ya go.” Jihyo passes on her phone, gulping and trying not to dwell too much in the woman before her.

The younger swiftly turns around, deciding it would be a good idea to read the letter, maybe wallow in self pity a little to help her calm down. Why was she worked up anyways, it’s just Sunmi. Right, the letter.

Ji,

I’m sorry. We don’t want you to have to go and be left alone because of us, and it hurts that you don’t want to talk about it. We all know you are not okay at all, and we want to have a real talk when you get back. Please consider it.

Nadong.

Jihyo swallows the lump in her throat, she doesn't want to talk to them. Not really. She loved her members, but can’t understand what it’s like for her, and she doesn’t want sympathy either. Having people look at her with pity never failed to make her feel worse and spiral further down on her self loathing. Before she can keep thinking about it, Sunmi emerges from the bathroom, throwing herself on the bed and ushering the other to go and wash up too. The alpha gets up, forgetting the letter, opened on the bed.

While her cute, little alpha is showering, Sunmi mulls over her conversation with Jinyoung, she opens her arms and the left one lands on a piece of paper, Nayeon’s letter. Suddenly, she feels more compelled to fulfill the request she received. You see, Sunmi was not very ‘normal’ either, not only she was a zeta, her body decided she would go into heat like an omega, despite being supposed to be able to control it. She was predisposed to get her heat triggered by the most random events, and there hasn’t been a single zeta, nor alpha that had been able to help her. Not that she actually got to business with any of them, all gave up as soon as they would see her.

Jinyoung had asked her for a conversation the next morning, Jinyoung asked her to really try and get to know and understand Jihyo that night, before she came in, it would be important. When asked, he simply said the girl was in a bad shape and needed a real friend, someone who could understand her, and Sunmi was just the one he was looking for. Like Jihyo heard her thoughts, she comes out of the bathroom, steaming and looking looking very cuddly, Sunmi just demanded they lay in bed that instant because she needed to hug the alpha that instant.

“Alright, are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?” Sunmi starts.

“You are not fat, don’t put yourself down like that.” Jihyo laughs.

“Funny, but you are not getting out of this. Let it all out, it’s just between us.”

“Like you can talk. Don’t think I haven’t noticed, ms Lee, you are holding something as well.”

“Ugh, fine! If I say it, will you say it? I’m just doing this if it’s an exchange.” Sunmi gives up.

“Sure will. Now, tell HyoHyo everything.”

“Before anything, stop hanging out with Hyoyeon unnie, that ‘HyoHyo’ thing you two insist on doing truly makes my stomach turn.” Sunmi speaks in a very annoyed voice.

“I’m telling Hyoyeon-sunbae.” Jihyo replies playfully.

“Good, then she can stop it too.” Sunmi spits, then sighs. “We are getting off track. I’m just gonna say it, so get ready.”

“I’m ready for anything you might throw. Give me your worst.”

“So, I’m a zeta. And we are kind of like betas, with our heat thing and all, although betas have to make a real effort to trigger one, us zetas don’t need that much, but can control when it comes, how long it lasts and whatnot.”

“I’m aware…. Not of all, but I knew the basics.” Jihyo almost hums, finding the comfort the older woman was providing bringing her to dreamland.

“Don’t you dare sleep right now, you brat!” Sunmi shakes her awake, it works. “Anyhow, I kind of can’t really control mine.”

“How so?” 

“I can manage to trigger mine when I want to, but once they happen, I can’t really control them very well. And that sucks, I feel shitty, and have to fight through the heat on my own. Many tried, but they never get past the looking at me part.” 

The older one starts crying lightly, and her friend just holds her that much tighter. They stay just like that until Sunmi has calmed down.

“If it makes you feel better, at least you can go into heat.” Jihyo speaks up.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m an alpha, and we have this weird presence thingy that makes others submit and calm down and all that jazz, right?!”

“I’m listening.”

“SO, I was born with this overwhelming alphaness that can calm down anyone. I can make any heat end just by being in the area. So, I can’t really go into one and whatnot, because no one can stay in theirs long enough for me to be affected.”

“You mean we are meant to have met, then?” Sunmi muses.

“Pretty much. But mine started early, right now I’m at the ‘hate myself’ stage. I matured when I was like, eleven.”

“I remember that, Sunye was having her heat early, then you matured suddenly and she calmed down and it was like nothing happened. I always wondered how everything went down.”

“Well, it was me. I was just there and then I felt…. Different? I can’t really describe it, but I felt like I was finally myself, yet I wasn’t. Then I smelled bubblegum, it was too strong to be someone chewing it, and it smelled good, like I had to have it too. But, just like it came, the scent was gone, later I was told I matured and there had been an omega in heat on the building.”

“And how did you find out about this? I found out about mine on my first heat, Jinyoung oppa had sent us to the States and it happened there. I was rushed back to the apartment we were staying at and it took a week for me to get out ot it, then they sent me to the hospital and I was told there was a problem, then they gave me some custom made suppressants to try and regulate it better.” Sunmi finishes with a saddened huff.

“Wow, that must have been tough. For me, it was years after I matured. The managers had noticed I had never even hinted of being affected by anyone’s heat, so PD-nim sent me to the doctor and they did all the tests you might think of, some I didn’t even know could exist.”

“Oh, I can imagine. In my case the heat was there, but it just didn’t go away.”

“Yeah, they thought I was sick or something. Like, it was clear when I matured, everyone around could feel the alpha settling in, but that was just it. I’ve been told that the pressure I exert over people is huge, and there is no denying I’m an alpha, but I was never triggered by anyone.”

“Hmmm… You said you hated yourself.”

“I do. This thing, whatever it is, seems to only send everyone away. I mean, I know nobody could possibly have an attraction to me, but I can’t even get anyone interested. When you are rejected your entire life, it’s hard to keep your self worth.” The younger tries to hold herself from breaking again.

“Ji, you know we all love you, right?”

“It’s not the same.” Frustration starts to rise.

“I know, but we all still love you.” Sunmi tightens the hug a little bit more. “I don’t know what you might be feeling, I have the opposite problem, but I want you to know I love you very much.”

“I love you too, Miya.” Jihyo snuggles up to the zeta, falling asleep feeling a little better.

Morning comes and the duo is woken up by Jihyo’s alarm, they had rehearsals for the colab, and the hotel was rather far away from the meeting point. As Twice was still in their heat period, they couldn’t use JYPE practice rooms yet, they were headed to MakeUs again. Practice would go on all morning, from eight a.m. to one p.m., that meant Sunmi couldn’t go in and talk to Jinyoung until after lunch, and she made sure to message him just that. 

Jihyo had come in her own car, she had another schedule in the afternoon, and her manager asked if she could get there by herself, as he would be driving Momo and Tzuyu, who were to be in the photoshoot with her. She didn’t really want to see any of them at the moment, but work is work, and she was not about to be unprofessional, heat periods were hard on her self control, the alpha went down a rabbit hole of self hatred and wallowing in her emptiness.

Practice over, Jihyo runs off to shower and head to her next schedule, the day was far from over for her, and the second part of it wasn’t that appealing right now. Sure enough, the other two were waiting for her once she got there, the alpha wasn’t late, she never was, but the others were, for once, early. The manager greets her with an apologetic look, saying the zetas were insistent in coming before the schedule so they could talk. A deep, resignated, sigh and the little woman tells him it’s alright and she would handle it.

“Hey, Ji.” Tzuyu greets once she is close enough.

“Hey Tzu.” She manages to put on a smile. “Mo.”

“Jihyo, how are you?” Momo, as hard as it might be to believe, was a very serious person when needed to.

“I’m alright, Mo. Should we go in?”

“Will you talk to us?” The peach insists.

“I always talk to you, no?”

“Not what she meant, unnie.”

“I know, Tzu. Not today, okay?” Jihyo sounded broken.

“Can you, at least, think about it?” The youngest pleads.

“I have thought about it. I thought about it for our entire time together.” The alpha is not exasperated, and that worries the two very much.

“Have you eaten?” Momo decides to change the scene a little.

“I ate a rice ball earlier. I’m fine, Mo.”

“We still have time before the shoot starts. Let’s get you something to eat.” The older isn’t taking a no for an answer.

“Sure. Do you have somewhere in mind?” The leader is just defeated, the duo’s hearts break once more.

And so, with another hour to spare, they head to a small restaurant nearby, said to have great chicken feet. Tzuyu doesn’t really likes it, but she will do anything she can to make her favorite unnie feel better, Momo is just happy to see Jihyo eating, as they all know she could go the entire week without it, if not forced to. It was always hard on the leader, they knew it became infinitely worse once they started mating, and now everything had already gone down the drain. They all knew, but none had managed to crack the very thick walls that surrounded the matter, and it got the girls very frustrated.

The photo shoot passes by in a blur, Jihyo just wants to get out of there and back to not interacting with her group for a while. She never failed to stay out for a few days after the heat period, the girls never got to know the reason, but truth was, the dorm smelled of them and what they did, and the alpha would feel even worse about herself. A conversation with Jinyoung and he agreed to allow her to stay away some extra days, how many she needed, in his words. So, even though they were about to get out of their heat in one more day, they knew their leader would still be out for another three to five days. 

By the time Jihyo came back to the dorm, the schedules was back in full swing and avoiding conversation not that hard anymore. Not that anyone had forgotten, but Jihyo still had the damn special stage and between their schedules and her late night practices, Twice’s leader had become a ghost in the dorm, they saw her in the morning while getting ready but that was it. The lone alpha, on the other hand, was enjoying being busy very much, she didn’t have time to think about herself and hanging out with the older women never failed to give her new perspectives on everything. Also, yubin and Suzy had already began scheming to get the two unmated women together.

“HyoHyo!” Yubin calls out after one of their last rehearsals. 

“Binnie-unnie, is everything alright? You never come to the showers.” Jihyo had just finished getting dressed after washing up.

“Remind me to kill Nichkhun for that nickname I still have no idea how it stuck. But also, we are all going for dinner, Zyzy just decided.” The older one explains. “Don’t ask.”

“I know very well not to question Zyzy-unnie when she decides something.” The younger laughs.

“Great, so call your manager and confirm with them you are going out with us. Suzy already called the company, but still.”

“Will do, give me ten minutes and I’ll be out.”

“Sure thing, kiddo. Oh, and don’t worry about going back, we’ll drop you off.”

Jihyo nods and proceeds to call, while tidying her things up. It doesn’t take that long, and her manager had already been warned by Suzy’s, so everything was fine. They do go to a very good restaurant and have a very big meal, the older ones had noticed their little girl was losing weight and looking sickly, so one of them would always try and make sure to feed the girl before sending her home. Coincidentally, neither Yubin nor Suzy could take Jihyo home that day, so they asked (subtly demanded) Sunmi to be the one to do so. 

And that’s how they are here, on their favorite hill, looking over Seoul, certain they weren’t being followed nor would be seen, given it was on the private and very exclusive neighborhood Sunmi lived. Enjoying their banana milks and trying to relax a little before the big day, sitting on a blanket the older produced out of thin air and looking at the city buzzing in front of them.

“Ji.” The girl hums in acknowledgement. “There is something I want to talk to you about.”

“You do know we are past the part of being cautious with each other, right?”

“I know, it’s just. I’m not very good with asking people out.” Sunmi blurts out, before she can register what she just said.

Both girls’ eyes got as big as saucers, Sunmi not knowing what to do with herself, and Jihyo pleasantly surprised and amused.

“Say what, now?” Jihyo muses.

“I- We-” The zeta huffs. “Look, to be very honest, I’ve always had a soft spot for you, at first it wasn’t like that, but then I saw you grow into this wonderful woman and couldn’t stop my feelings from growing with you. I mean, not that I wanted to stop them, but still. I-”

“Miya, you are blabbering.”

“It’s hard not to, when the woman you love is resting in your arms. Especially when said woman is THE Park Jihyo.”

“You are still blabbering. It’s cute. Can I be very honest here?” Sunmi nods. “I love you very much too, and I’m honored.”

“But…” Sunmi releases a sigh.

“But it will take some time for me to adapt to this.” Jihyo snuggles closer.

“So, you are saying yes?”

“I’m saying I could try with you. And I’m asking you to be patient with me, this dating thing never happened to me. The closer I ever got was hugging a friend.” Jihyo sounds defeated.

“I know, Hyo. And we’ll go on your pace, no pressure. All I want is to call you my girlfriend, and be allowed to love you at all times.”

“Well, then, miss Lee Sunmi, I think you might just have gotten yourself a girlfriend. We should talk to PD-nim, though.” Jihyo giggles.

“I might have already talked to him and he may or may not have been the one to suggest I ask you out already.” It was so fast Sunmi made a mental note to try rapping later.

“You are all scheming to get us together, aren’t you?” Laughter bubbles up from the smaller woman.

“Like I said, it’s been a while that I’ve been looking at you. And what do you mean with ‘you all’?”

“You really didn’t notice those two throwing me at you earlier?”

“Zyzy and Binnie? They couldn’t take you home, it’s fine.”

“Miya, you are lucky you are pretty. But yeah, they have been pushing us together ever since this collab began.”

“Hey! …... But thanks for the pretty.”

“No problem. So, how does this works?”

“How does what works?” Sunmi is honestly confused.

“This dating thingy. Like, what do we do?” Jihyo gets worried.

“Calm down. You are doing it right now. I do have to ask, though, do you want to be open about it, or do we wait to tell people.”

“I think we should tell PD-nim, and our managers. But I kind of want this to be us for now.”

“As you wish, ma’am. Now, let me cuddle you properly, we don’t have much time left.”


	5. Struggles - MiHyo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is what my oneshot, My Fellow Kindred ( https://archiveofourown.org/works/16321847 ) was supposed to be, before I scrapped it and started over.

Ugh. I don't think I should have slept, it hasn't even been a century yet. There must be something happening around, the air feels heavy and there is something foreboding lingering just below the radar. 

Normally, I wouldn't mind it very much, I mean, dealing with these things is the work of the barons. But the prince seems to have gone soft, or she decided to be stupid again and let this thing into her domain. Either way, I think I should go downtown and have a word with that moron, I can't be taking asleep before it's time. 

“Mina, could you tell me the schedule for the day?” I know I'm whispering two floors above her, but don't take her skills for granted, she is one of my most talented children, so far. 

“You have two meetings today, and a beneficent visit to the new hospital won't you paid for. And that should be about it.” See? I told you she was good. 

“Thanks, kid. Tell the price we are coming later. I need to teach her some awareness.” 

“Do you wish for me to state the reason for the visit? Or just tell her we are coming?” 

“Just tell her we are coming, she might run away if she knows I'm not in a good mood.” 

“Very well, should I prepare the car?” 

“When will the meeting take place?” 

“It is scheduled to start at nine.” 

“I'll take a walk then, there is still a couple of hours left.” I decide, seeing it’s still six. I enjoy walking around town. This might be a small town, but we are just half an hour away from the capital, and the scene is always different, there is always something new to discover. 

“Should I proceed to the company, then?” 

“Go on ahead, I'll get there by myself. Promise to be on time.” I tell her as I'm already going through the door. 

“Just try not to take another stray. You are a magnet for those.” I just chuckle at her worries and go for my walk. 

It seems my feet still know the way to the company, I haven't come on my own in so long, usually Mina is the one driving and I take the time to make calls or answer emails, or I'll just drive myself but I take the longer route when I walking. 

As I step in, I see a young lady, looking very nervous with an envelope in hand and, as discreetly as one can, pacing a bit. My guess, she is an applicant waiting to be interviewed. I have a gut feeling she is going to be a good one, so I decide to talk to her a bit and have her boost her confidence a little. 

See, being abnormal, I have somewhat of a ‘sixth sense’ about people. I can use clairvoyance, sure, but these gut feelings, if you want to call them that, are more of a passive thing. It happens whether I want it or not, and it's really never wrong, that's how I ended up as the owner of a global fashion empire. 

Frankly, as times goes by, money is just something that accumulates, I believe that's why Mina always warns me about my habit of helping people. And says I'm just throwing money away, and that I should use it better, guess that's why I gave the hospital enough for them to open an entire new wing. 

“Good morning, miss?!” I, carefully, say as I approach her. 

“O-oh, yes, g-good m-mo-morning.” She stutters a little as I seem to have startled her. 

“No need to be nervous, I just saw you as I was walking in, and you seemed to be very agitated.” 

“I-I’m here for the internship interview, and the wait is making me nervous. I think I should have gone back to sleep instead of coming early.” She says while blushing a little. She’s cute, and I’m intrigued by this person. What can I do, sometimes I can’t really control my instincts, they just guide me and I can’t help but follow.

“No problem. Tell me, have you researched about the position? Do you know what this company does? Are you confident about your skill?”

“Not sure about my skills, but yes to the other ones.”

“Then you have absolutely nothing to worry about, just trust yourself and you will be fine.” I smiled at her and she looks a bit better now.

“I sure hope so. Thanks, miss…”

“Not for that. I have to go in now, good luck on your interview.” I make sure to not tell her my name as I just walk away towards the elevator.

The day goes by as expected, just a bunch of ass-kissing and begging for my money, it has been like this ever since I decided to open my first company. Nowadays it’s getting a bit worse, the vultures are getting better at speaking, and they are ever so insistent on not taking a ‘no’ for an answer.

Not that it would work on me, or my beloved kids, we are too old to be swayed by sweet talking or flattery. Not from these type of hyenas, anyways. At least, I get to go and play with the kids at the hospital now, one of the reasons I invest on them, is to be able to go and play with those little balls of energy. This always puts a smile on my face and helps me forget the eerie presence that has been around lately.

Maybe this sensations are caused by the new exhibition on the museum downtown, it’s some sort of ancient civilization that was excavated in Honduras and the findings were sent there to be studied. I don’t really want to believe my assumptions on this, because, if I’m right, it won’t end well for those who are not built for it.

But these thoughts aside, I have some kids to play with, and nothing will take this away from me.

# # #

“Time to go and talk to Jeongyeon. Should I send word to Momo?” Mina says as she walks in and gives me the look that says ‘get moving right now, we are late’ and I’ve learned through the centuries that one does NOT question angry Mina.

“No need for Momo. Jeongyeon is the one lacking here, either that, or she is letting this happen on purpose, don’t know which is worse.”

“You do have a point there. Shall we?”

The ride downtown takes about forty minutes, we live a bit far out the city limits. It’s not very wise to have neighbours too close to the house, you know, with the immortal thing happening. At least Jeongyeon has the decency to vacant our parking spot before we arrive, one less thing to ‘talk’ to her about. Well, game face on and time to remind this brat of who she is hosting.

“Mina, it’s a pleasure, as always.” 

Jeongyeon says a bit too joyful for her own good. She has never been shy about wanting Mina to be her new ‘playmate’, I don’t forbid Mina from going out to entertain herself, but Jeongyeon is something different, Mina is off limits for her, as well as my other kids, but she seems to not understand this.

“Good to know you still can’t pay attention to your surroundings as you should.”

“J-Ji-Jihyo?”

“When Mina told you to prepare, did you really think she would come here without my company?”

“No-no, not a-at all.”

“Well, then, sit down. We have some business to discuss.” I say, sitting on her chair and getting Mina to sit on my lap, I like to make statements.

She sits, and I can smell the anger boiling inside her, the wish to jump on me and slash my body with her bare hands. Jeongyeon is wise to not act upon her whims, but foolish enough to have them to begin with, she is very well aware of her powerlessness before me.

“What may I assist you with, Jihyo?” Her eyes never leaving Mina, who, now, won’t speak unless I tell her to. Mina, unlike Jeongyeon, chose to accompany me and learn what I had to share, hence, she knows when to silence herself.

“Are you really just inept, or are you turning a blind eye to it?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I don’t repeat myself, Jeongyeon. And you would be wise to remember it.”

“I really don’t understand what you are referring to?”

“Tell me, do you really not feel it, or is someone paying you to not notice it?”

“I don’t understand, truly.”

And, to that, I’m left with no choice but will her to speak. It works as an aura projection, something like expanding my presence and diminishing hers so my will would become her own. When it gets to me using my skills, things go down a path of no return, and I really hate to do this. I prefer for everyone to be honest on their own will.

“Tell me, Jeongyeon, what is happening around here?”

“Someone bought the space for the artifacts of ‘La ciudad Blanca’. No one knows what was their intent, nor who is financing it, the museum won't pursue any further information, it is research funds. But, ever since the three burial urns arrived, there is danger in the air, just faint enough for the fledglings not to notice, but all the barons and sheriffs are on high alert.”

She, then, clenches her jaw, looking exhausted from trying to fight me. Like I said, she can’t resist me, very few can, and it takes everything they have to do so. The conversation goes on with Jeongyeon still trying to fight me and spilling everything nonetheless, nothing that would solve this problem anyhow.

“You are done, now, Jeongyeon. Remember to pay a bit more respect to your elders, you are a few centuries too old for this stubbornness to be cute.”

“What about I get rid of said elder?”

“Come now, you are very well aware you can’t do anything. Remember to tell Nayeon to give up on this idiotic plan of yours when you call her later.”

“Did she tell you?” She lets out a sad chuckle.

“You should be aware that I don’t need anyone to really tell me anything. I just appreciate honesty. And taking it out of you was just discipline.”

That said, I stand up taking Mina on my hands and gently place her on the ground. Making a point to peck her lips and hold her hands before leaving, releasing Jeongyeon from my hold.

As soon as we are driving away from the building, Mina starts talking again. Like I said, she is good, knowing when it’s safe to speak about our matters just adds to it.

“You sure like to torture her, don’t you?”

“Like you weren’t enjoying that brat being disciplined.”

“Can’t deny that. But do you really have to play with her dreams like that? I know she is still young and ambitious, but that should fade sometime soon.”

“I don’t enjoy entertaining that type of behaviour. She is almost three thousand years old, it’s past the time for both her and Nayeon to get over the fact they can’t oppose their elders.”

“Should we get Jisung to come and have them fall in line, then?”

“Sure, I’ll call him myself. Chaeyoung should have a talk with Jisung as well. I’m certain Sana taught Chae well, afterall, she is your childe, but the little one has always been difficult about our ways.”

“Sorry about that. My lineage is really a big headache.”

“Not at all, look at how Momo turned out. Although she should be the prince, she made a very good point as to why remain as a baron, and has become one of the most powerful leaders in our history.”

“Well, every family has a stray, I guess.”

Mina chuckles, and we get back to the mansion. I immediately go to my office and place a call to Chaeyoung first, after all, hierarchy should still be followed. And this little one is smart enough to not let it ring more than once, it gives me a bit of satisfaction to see Sana’s hand still weighs heavy on her.

“Jihyo, what do I owe the honor?”

“I’m not very certain you will like this call at all, since your kids are being naughty again.”

“What did those two idiots do this time?” She sighs, as this is too much of a normal occurance for us.

“They didn’t do anything yet, but were planning to try and kill me so Jeongyeon could get Mina away from my tyranny…. Again.” I sigh, as Jeongyeon’s greed is always a magnet for trouble, and headaches.

“I’ll tend to it, and come down to apologise myself later on.”

“Good. Take Jisung with you, he embraced them, after all.”

“Will do. We should come to the house tomorrow.”

“Good evening.”

Hanging up, I let out a small groan, and get to Mina for some release we both need right now. Having to meet the chinese tomorrow will take a lot from both of us.

I just hope the italians are not the ones behind what is in the museum, and, even more so, that I’m not correct about who was brought. Whatever it is, I just hope those urns were never open, and what they hold was never awoken. There will be too many complications if any of these happened.

# # #

“Jackson, I come to announce my presence in your domain.”

“I appreciate your respect for our traditions, but you don’t have to do these things, Jihyo.”

“How else should I set an example for Mina?”

“Is it time yet?” The chinese asks.

“No, but I have been blacking out lately. What brings me here.” The elder huffs in annoyance.

“So, we are not the only ones feeling it?” Jackson sounds truly surprised.

“Not at all, unfortunately, our current prince has been too preoccupied on getting me killed, rather than tending to real matters.” Jihyo’s voice dripping with mockery.

“So, she still thinks our Mina is supposed to be with her and you are blinding her with your powers.” He laughs, looking at Mina for her input on the situation.

“She convinced herself I’m madly in love with her and Jihyo is controlling me. Or I’m blinded by her riches. Either way, I’m a damsel in distress.” Mina joins in, laughing as well.

“Kids these days are so entertaining.” The foreign leader continues. “On a more serious matter, I hear you made contact with my youngest.”

“I did? Also, don’t you, easterner demons, reproduce like the humans or something very similar?” 

“I’m gonna skip over what you just said and assume you are simply really surprised.” Jackson gets a little offended. “But yes, we do reproduce quite like humans, with a few perks here and there. But our spawn are very much alive when they are born, only receiving the second breath after maturing, if they so choose.”

“Ooooh, so you just have kids and they can choose to follow your steps or not.” Mina sounds interested.

“That’s the basics, yes. And I just wanted to thank you for talking her through her interview this morning.”

“So that girl was Tzuyu?” Jihyo looks amused.

“That’s her. I would like to ask for you to care for her over there.”

“Naturally, but do remember I don’t play favorites. She will have to earn everything there.”

“I couldn’t think you would. Now, back to whatever it is that is bothering us all.” The man suggests.

“I have reports saying bloody handprints indicate something came from inside of it. Also, the watchers reported the italians are after the sarcophagus, although I did make sure Gary would keep it between us.” Mina reports.

“Which brings us here. I heard there is a Hengeyokai roaming around, and I very much want whatever he knows about the urns.”

“I must say, he does not move on my behalf, although he did come an announced his presence on my domain. I can tell you what he knows, as I questioned him about the very same thing.” Jackson says, as he rolls up his sleeve. “You still remember how this works, right?”

“I know how to take memories, yes. You kids are getting bolder each day.”

As soon as my tongue makes contact to the blood of the eastern demon, a lot happens, his memories flood my brain and make home as they were mine, but this cainite body rejects that foul liquid and I can’t help but let it escape me. Mina, always the efficient one, is fast enough to get a vase so I can relief myself into and not make a mess of the entire hall.

“I forget how much damage we can cause you from within.” He laughs. “That vase is two thousand years old, by the way.”

“Good, not that old, then.” I try to be snarky, but my voice is already strained.

“We should get going.” Mina urges, hoisting me up so we can leave. “The urns will be taken care of, I just need to get some blood in her.”

“Send some updates. I know our blood is bad for you, but I’m also an elder to my people. We can’t be too careful.” Jackson asks, guiding us outside and to our car. “Try the red dragon, I’m sure you can woo some girls there.”

All I could do was nod, maybe hitting a club won’t be that bad. I just have to be sure to not make any more ghouls, I’m not a fan of the chinese ones, they tend to try and stab you in the back any chance they get. I guess that’s why there are no cainites among them, the Kuei Jin bond demands obedience, very different from ours.

###

The next time I’m in control of myself again is the following night, I can barely remember anything after we left the temple. Some bad tasting party boy, a few flashes of light, some relief coming from my right arm and then nothing. Looking down, I can see Mina gave me some elder vitae, I thought we were out of those, doesn’t matter, it feels like I was hit by a werewolf….. And kept being hit all night long.

“The car is ready, you should change.” Speaking of the devil.

“Thank you, Mina. For everything.”

“What happened to you? Are you planning to die tonight?” She smiles. “I don’t think I really want to step on your shoes this soon.”

“Oh, I know exactly who is inside that sarcophagus. I won’t be dying, maybe I’ll be doing some killing, depending on what they have to say when we get there.” I say, already undressing. “Should I take a shower?”

“Perhaps. You do still smell like that awful place we had to stop to emergency feed you.”

“I’ll be done soon, give me ten minutes. And, get me another bag of vitae, please.”

She only nods and walks out, I’ll just wash myself and get this terrible smell of cheap alcohol, cigarettes and desperation off of me. I know I needed it, but my lesson was learned, never visit Jackson without blood bags again. As expected, Mina was already on the driver’s seat of our car, waiting for me to get in so we can end this foolishness and, hopefully, get my prince to pay more attention to what happens in her domain.

The ride to the museum was short and silent, I managed to down my elder vitae and Mina just filled me in the day’s activities, getting in, however, was something else entirely. The security was tight, and we don’t need humans prying on our business, the loading deck was the better option, but still heavily secured. Mina and I just make our way through the blind spots, it’s easier if I cloak us both and move through the shadows, and no news of mysteriously dying security guards.

Finding the place where the sarcophagus was being stored would have been a challenge had I not been sure of who was inside. Mina was just following blindly, but I’m certain she already smells and feels that brat, despite being on the other side of the storage basement. We could smell those two idiots down here as well, I just scoff and she chuckles.

“Those two should start worrying more about their duties than falling for urban legends like this.”

“I’m sure they will, at some point.” Mina keeps chuckling.

“This point could happen right now. The youngest among them is two thousand and seven hundred years old.”

“You do have a point there. Are you telling me who we are meeting, now?” She chuckles and pecks my lips.

“You don’t know yet? Think about our last party with the Mayans, that heart ripping fest we had. Everyone danced painted in blue for five days, and we were so drunk on the blood from their volunteers I have a hangover just thinking about it.”

“Oh, you mean-”

“Yes, now be quiet and let me keep preparing my scolding.” I silence her with a kiss.

The two idiots are closer, but I’m sure I can get there before them. Things might get out of hand if they do disturb the brat inside without a backup plan, not that I didn’t want them to suffer, but letting them get killed like this will demand a lot of politics bureaucracy I’m not in the mood for right now. 

“GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THAT COFFIN AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF, CHONG!” I scream, I know I don’t need to, but I like theatrics.

“I think I’ll stay in here until you leave.” Comes the muffled answer.

“You can come out or I can let Mina pay you back for the mayan spring break.” 

At that, Mina smirked evilly, the lid of the sarcophagus shoots open and our favorite problem child crawls out, already pleading for her life. To Mina, I mean. I’m not the one with a grudge about this matter, and, like I said, fear angry Mina if you want to keep your unlife. Nayeon reaches us first, coming to a halt as soon as she sees the sarcophagus open, me looking amused and Mina fuming at another creature that’s kneeling at her feet and begging for something none of us could really understand. Jeongyeon comes right after, bumping idiot two and sending both down.

“So, you are finally here.” I greet them.

“Come on! We were here first!” Jeongyeon protests.

“I know, you were just slower. Good thing too, you both would be a pile of ash by now, had Mina and I not arrived first.”

“Doesn’t matter, we are drinking from this ancient and killing you once and for all!” Nayeon dismisses everyone else.

“Not a good idea, drinking from her. And whatever old rumor you heard about this drinking from ancients thing, none of them are real, and you will die if you try.” Mina is the one to answer.

“We won’t die, that’s nonsense. Come on, lady, give us that old blood.” Jeongyeon steps forward.

“These two smell very faintly like you two.” Elkie says, motioning for the idiots, then Mina and I.

“They are Mina’s lineage, fourth generation. These idiots believe drinking from older vampires will give them superpowers.” I can only chuckle.

“Oh, kiddies, that’s just urban legends spread by junkies. And Mina is right, you will die if you drink from me.”

“What?” Nayeon is the one who manages to speak.

“You really are idiots, she isn’t even the same as us. When you drink from Kuei Jin, our cainite bodies reject the blood violently, you two not being old enough yourselves will die as soon as it touches your tongue.” Mina explodes.

“How do you suppose we kill her, then?” Jeongyeon snaps, pointing at me.

“I suppose you stop trying to. Those who can kill her will never move against her. There are very few that could, anyways, and I promise you will have a really hard time trying to meet with one, if they ever give you the time of day.” Chong decides to step in.

“But we want to.” Nayeon childishly protests.

“Kids, just accept it. That one over there.” Elkie explains gesturing to me. “Could have you both killed before you even notice it. Just stop trying to do things you can’t and be happy she is the nicest antediluvian still alive. Others would have killed you themselves, despite her wishes.”

“That is very true.” Mina says. “But, Jeongyeon, I’m with Jihyo because I want to be, just take Nayeon and unlive as best as you can.”

Both younglings just turn their heads down. And Mina gives them a moment before continuing.

“That also means you would have to kill me as well, I’m the one to take over whenever Jihyo decides to step down. And you both know I’m not nearly as forgiving as Jihyo is about this stupid quest of yours. Now get back to your duties and try to improve yourselves, nobody likes old brats.”

That hurt even me, an I’m not on the receiving end. Both just turn on their heels and march out. I’m sure their plans to overthrow me are still there, but we should be good for a few hundred years, having Mina look at you like that does take some time to recover from. Elkie just waits until they are out to turn to us with that very dangerous grin on her lips.

“No.” I say before she can utter anything.

“Absolutely not.” Mina enforces.

“Come on, just trust me. I have the perfect idea.” Elkie goes on with the loveliest voice ever.

“We heard this before and things got out of hand in a matter of hours.” Mina protests.

“This time I’m sure nothing will get that bad. I’m making a music festival, it’s gonna be called huge and we are going to europe for that, I know you both love the eastern european ladies. Trust me, it’s gonna be great.”

And she goes out, giddy as ever. Mina looks at me worried and I just shrug at her, Elkie is going to do that no matter what we say, our only choice is to make sure she won’t mess everything up. Last time we left her alone to plan things and we got ourselves more than a few tribes decimated in central america, then she disappeared for centuries and only wakes up to party again. 

“Let’s go, Mina. You know as well as I do she needs someone to hold her reigns or we will have more than a simple pyramid of bodies in our hands.”

“Now I understand why you were sleeping before it was time, and why I was so tired.”

“I guess our bodies just react like that to her, already getting tired before she even does anything.”

We both just laugh and follow our favorite troublemaker.


	6. Forget her - JiTzu

I have been sitting here for hours already, looking at nothing specific on my phone, just trying to distract myself from all this. It was her wedding, the one I’m not waiting at the end of the aisle, I’m just another attendee. Why I’m here? Because I love her, I’ve loved her from when we were fifteen, we are twenty three now, and she is giving herself to him completely. There is a swarm of hairstylists, makeup artists and stylists roaming around her, I’m sitting in a corner of the bride’s room, hoping I can just leave.

The door opens, and some of our friends come in, they make their way to congratulate her first, then come closer to me with sympathetic looks. I hate it, I hate that she is getting married to another, I hate that I’ve been a coward for years now, that I, impulsively bought her an engagement ring that is still in my pocket right now. Momo and Sana had known me for the longest, and I appreciate they try to not look at me like that, at least. Dahyun can’t manage so well, though, she sits herself beside me and places an arm around my shoulders.

They try to make conversation, distract me from what is happening, it’s useless. Then there is a squeal, the professionals working her start gathering their things, and she turns around to look at us. I can only swallow the lump in my throat and plaster my very fake smile on my face, she doesn’t notice, she never really did. Dahyun does, and manages to make whatever excuse to get me out of there, I thank her for that as soon as we are out. All I can do now is just grit my teeth and sit through it in silence, not like I would ever have the guts to do anything anyways.

The ceremony begins and he is just standing there, with his idiotic face and asshole friends as his groomsmen. I see Nayeon standing as her bridesmaid, makes sense, she introduced both, then the music changes and she makes her entrance, her father finally arrived this morning and is smiling happily. I had been filling in for him on the rehearsals so far, another reminder I was never even an option to be at the end of the aisle. The priest begins the ceremony and I can take a small breath.

When it comes to the “speak now or forever hold your peace” part, Dahyun, Momo and Sana look at me, but I don’t intend on speaking up. I just grit my teeth a bit stronger, Dahyun squeezes my hand a little tighter, she had been holding it since the beginning, it doesn’t matter, I made my ‘peace’ with it long ago, I knew she would never look at me like that, no point saying anything now, not when the ceremony is about to end. I just want to go home, get away from here, away from her.

“Ji, are you going to the party?” Dahyun asks carefully.

“You know I can’t, Hyunnie. You have fun for me, alright?”

“You know she will ask, right?”

“No need to say anything, just tell her I headed home and that’s that.”

“Will I talk to you tomorrow?”

“If you want to, yes. I just need to leave now.” 

Is all I say before I turn around and head to my car, I can make out Sana calling after me among the noise the crowd was making, but I’ll talk to her tomorrow. There is nothing for me here, there never was, really, it’s time to go, maybe I’ll find out how to let go. Getting home was easier than I thought, is was early evening, I hadn’t drunk anything yet, no, getting wasted was for when I finally got to be completely alone. Sana, Momo and Dahyun had been staying at my flat for the last month, saying they wanted to be there for moral support, tonight they were at the party and I, finally, had time for myself.

I had already bought everything I needed to drown my sorrows, hidden at the back of my cabinet, Momo had made a point to stop me from drinking at all, saying I wouldn’t stop and she didn’t want that. Not wrong to think like that, indeed I hoped to go through all my stock tonight. For starters, I’ll just get some whiskey and ice while I wait for everything else to cool down. Taking off my suit, I slip in my pajamas and head to my living room, time to try and not feel anything. I’m tired.

I have no idea when I slept, but, waking up, everything hurts maybe I’m past the age of getting blackout drunk like that. No matter, I don’t intend on sticking around long enough for anyone to see. I can tell none of the girls are back, they must have slept at the hotel where the reception took place, at least I can enjoy time with myself a little longer. Dahyun will show up soon, Sana and Momo, I’m not so sure, but I can handle one, I hope.

We are all supposed to gather today for lunch, I don’t really want to go, maybe I should just leave already, it won’t make a difference, today, tomorrow, last night, I’m all set to go anyways. Must say, I’m really surprised none of those three noticed, I’m fully moved out, there are only a few clothes remaining, it would take me about half an hour to finish packing up and go. Maybe I should, there is nothing left here, nothing for me. So I just get on my feet and start cleaning up, get a box and put the last of the bedsheets and towels, finish packing my bag and take a quick shower. An hour and a half, a little longer than I expected, but still quick enough. The car is already packed, and I just leave a note on the coffee table telling those three not to worry.

It was easy, really, I just go live with my mother for a while, our relationship had been strained since my dad died, we never really agreed with each other that much anyways, nobody will ever come look for me here, not when I was always very clear of my despise for this place. But I do need a place to stay, away from all of them, away from her. I already have a job overseas, but it will take a while to start working there, quitting the one I have here was a quiet affair, I can’t keep working on the same place as her. My phone has been blowing up since eleven, guess that’s when they reached the apartment, sorry girls, we are not going to see each other for a while.

“Do you want to talk?” My mother. Seems like our years apart made her more accepting.

“About what?” I still can’t trust her, though.

“About why you are running from your friends, about that ring you still have, about why you never made a move to get her, you choose.”

“It’s useless, I’m already gone and don’t intend to come back anytime soon. And you never really cared, why now?”

“Because you are here.”

“That’s not a reason. And no, thank you, I don’t want you to be bothered about me more than you already are. I’ll try to find a new place tomorrow, thank you for letting me spend the night.”

“Jihyo, I know I can’t undo what I did to you, but I never thought I raised a cowar-”

“You never raised me.” I can’t believe she has the nerve. “Dad raised me and I raised the girls, you were too busy trying to impress meaningless people. You know what, sorry I ever thought you could be a mother for one night. One. Single. Night.”

I just get to my feet and proceed to leave, a hotel will be a little more expensive but it’s better than this woman. Good thing I didn’t even unload my bags, it’s just my jacket, wallet and keys. I make sure to leave behind the keys to this place as well. Dad wanted all of his daughters to have a key to his house, but it’s not his house anymore, maybe leaving it all behind isn’t so bad afterall. Maybe I should sell this damn thing to make some extra and pay for the hotel, it’s just dead weight anyhow, just a stupid teenage decision that never came to anything.

###

“You are not thinking of any funny business, are you?” Seems like the tall brunette has woken up.

“I never do. Thought you would sleep until morning.” 

“So did I, but I got cold when you were gone.” She smiles, not that I turned around, I just feel it.

“Sorry about that. I had to step out for a while.” Strong arms wrap around my waist.

“Don’t worry. Just don’t listen to them.”

“Don’t listen to whom?” We both know the answer, but I have to remind her of it.

“Whoever is telling you to not be here.” I sigh, she knows how this will play out, yet she does it regardless. “Don’t worry, I’m not saying I need more. I’ll wait until you are ready, we talked about this.”

“Thank you. I still feel like an ass.”

“Hey, no. Don’t go there, we agreed to try and that you could take your time for this.”

“We did, but I want to treat you right. I want to do better by you.”

“You do treat me right. Just relax, I know how hard it was for you, but you are getting better, we are working.”

“I’m trying. I do love you, you know.” It came out as a whisper, but her chuckle tells me she heard it.

“I know, and I love you too.” It’s her answer, and I know exactly how deep this answer really goes.

“Do we really need to do this?”

“Ji, we are already here. What’s the point of putting it off? You moved on, are moving on, getting your new life together, at least meet with your friends, they must be worried about you.”

“As long as you don’t ask me to meet my mother, we are good.”

“Oh, absolutely not. And she isn’t invited to the wedding as well.” She laughs.

“Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself? I haven’t even proposed yet.”

“It’s only been eight months. Well ten if you count from when we first met.”

“It’s been four, I just took six to meet, get to know, get interested and ask you out.”

“Whatever makes you happier. Now get changed, aren’t we supposed to go wherever you said you had to go before trying to find your friends?”

“Oh, right. I have to sell that thing. Did I even pack it?”

“I made sure it was on your luggage, now get moving.”

I peck her lips as I walk away. It’s been a year since I disappeared and started a new life, things were rough at first, but I met Tzuyu and she was nothing but the sweetest, most patient woman I could ever ask for. It took me a while to understand she was interested in me, and even longer for me to accept I could be interested in her as well. I was a shadow of myself, existing and never really living, but we worked together, she helped me push through.

Moving to Taiwan was a decision I was putting off for two years, nobody really knew nor cared, but I was offered a position there, and had managed to put it off for a while, under the guise of my projects here, when her wedding happened I was wrapping up the last of them, I submitted my transfer papers the same day her wedding invitation came through the mail. She didn’t even consider handing it to me personally, guess that’s how much I meant for her. 

Getting to the shopping district was another hassle, I wanted to rent a car, but Tzuyu said we should just use the subway and didn’t let me get one. Now I can see it in her eyes that she’s rethinking that decision, but it’s alright, I like spending time with her, and walking around helps me sort my feelings about facing Momo, Sana and Dahyun later. It took me a bit of asking and a lot of chinese snacks to get Jiyoung, my middle sister, to tell me Sana’s email, she was the best bet among the three, Momo would simply ignore me, and Dahyun would never really listen. So, today, I’m set to meet Sana at her company, she got that promotion not long after I left, and now she manages her own department.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“I’m just thinking if we should get Sana something.”

“You are already holding a bag with wine, chocolate, tea and snacks, what else might you buy her?”

“Maybe a small country?” She chuckles, it warms my heart a little. “Don’t laugh, I did drop out from the face of earth and just decided to appear a year later.”

“You do have a point there, but we are not getting anything else, this is more than enough. And you needed to leave to get better, if they don’t see that, I’m just taking you back home and never letting you think about them again.”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll settle for this.” And we arrived at the jewelry store. “We are here.”

“Can you manage? I want to make a quick stop at another store.”

“Sure, I’ll send you a message and come find you.”

“Alright, take care. And, good luck.” I get on my tippy toes and peck her lips before she leaves.

The transaction goes smoothly, I called beforehand and the woman who evaluates the jewelry was already waiting for me. I wonder where Tzuyu might have gone off to, but it gives me a chance to get her a gift, just a simple necklace, she doesn’t really wear expensive and over intricate things, our company doesn’t allows for it, and I would like to see her wearing it as often as possible. So I take the time to look for it while the lady does her thing with the ring, but, obviously, luck is never on my side when it comes to her, and she comes in, to the very same store I chose to come get rid of the last piece of my past with her.

I pay for the necklace, regardless of the ring, plus, it would take a little more for them to pay me up for the piece, so I took the time to fill out all the forms while I’m at it, they will make a deposit within a few days if I agree to their offer, which doesn’t really matter too much for me. I was thanking my stealth skills when the lady comes back with the ring and calls for me, she looks in my direction, but seems confused whether it’s really me or another with the same name, my appearance did change a lot in the time I was out.

“Ms Park, we can offer this much.” She shows me the number on paper. “Would that be acceptable?” The lady says in her business low voice.

“That would be great, yes.” I answer just as low.

She has approached, trying to see my face better, doesn’t seem like she heard anything, by the way she is looking from me to the ring and back. And there is the recognition I was hoping to never happen, the evaluator had gone off to get the papers for me to sign, it’s just me, the ring and her unbelieving stare.

“Jihyo?”

I can just close my eyes and take a deep breath, try to calm myself down and not lash out in the middle of the store.

“Yes? How may I help you?”

“Yo-” She stops for a second. “You disappeared, nobody knew where you went. Your boss, ex boss, told Sana you got transferred, but refused to say anything else. What happened?” She looks at the ring again. “And you are getting engaged? I didn’t even know you were dating. I-”

“Stop. I’m not having this conversation with you, I’m not having any conversation with you. Don’t bother, I know you must be oh so busy with your hubby, just keep living your life.” I whisper to her, still firm enough to get the point across.

“Ms Park, please sign these papers and we’ll get back to you in two days.” The evaluator comes back just in time. “Is there anything I can help you with, mrs?” She directs to her.

“Oh, not yet, thank you. I was just greeting an old friend.” She answers, motioning to me. “This ring is beautiful.”

“Here you go, ms. I’ll be waiting for your call.” I return the papers before turning to her. “Good, then you can take the opportunity to buy it yourself. It was meant for you anyways.” I manage to say very low and very close to her ears, leaving right after and never waiting for an answer.


	7. Weird - SaHyo

“Call cardiology to prep the room, right now! We are sending her up. Who is writing?” 

 

“Kim is, Dr. Park.”

 

“Kim, what did she get before I arrived?”

 

“Nothing, dr. Park. You arrived seconds after she was wheeled in.”

 

“Cardio called, they are waiting.” Another nurse announces.

 

“Give her 5 ccs of metoprolol and let’s send her in right now.”

 

“It’s in.”

 

“Strap her for the transfer and let’s move, we don’t have the time to waste.”

 

The team moves with practiced ease, they had been working together for years, and dr. Park Jihyo was one of the easiest doctors to work with. The woman had started as a emergency surgeon five years prior, she specializes in orthopedics and trauma surgery, and worked the worst hours in the E.R. The whole team had a soft spot for her, though, as the young doctor never failed to go out of her way to get acquainted with everyone she worked with.

 

She was a young genius, and never failed to find a way out of most things that were thrown at her. She insisted that being friendly helped understand how your colleagues work dynamics happened, and it made for easier routines and better understanding of each other. Indeed, she was very much correct, as her shifts were the ones with the best workplace environment and her team with the best results so far. 

 

“Why do you do that to yourself?” Nayeon, her old friend exclaims as she throws herself on the couch.

 

“I don’t know what you might be talking about. And could you, please, not make my office your bedroom?” Comes the grumpy response.

 

“Oh, come on. It’s not like anyone comes in here anyways.”

 

“What might you mean?”

 

“You are too efficient for your own sake. Have you gotten laid yet?”

 

“Hello? Yes, it’s dr. Park, could you come to my office right away?” Jihyo chooses to ignore her friend and makes a quick call.

 

“Okay, rude. And you didn’t answer my question.” Nayeon complains, still sprawled on the couch.

 

“I believe my personal life is, I don’t know, personal?!” Jihyo gets more irritated.

 

“Like we aren’t centuries past there reservations with each other. Spill, Ji-”

 

“Im Nayeon, you better not be bothering our best doctor again.” A soft but stern voice scolds.

 

“I- Wha-” Nayeon tries to find her words, looking between Jihyo and the new arrival.

 

“That call you called me rude for? Yeah, I was calling Chae.” Dr. Park answers with a smug grin.

 

“That’s not fair. I am genuinely worried about you, as your best friend and all.” Dr. Im protests.

 

“Ji hates when you try to snoop around her love life, you know that. Why do you keep doing it anyways?” Chaeyoung questions as she sits down on the couch.

 

“I’m doing what a best friend should do. I’m looking out for her.” Then she looks at Jihyo. “Calling Chae over was low. But I’m going to let it slide because you did save that girl you sent me earlier.”

 

“It’s not my fault you are dating the hospital’s director, dr. Im ‘head-of-cardiology’ Nayeon. And not my fault said director happens to be my half sister.” Dr. Park offers a shrug.

 

“She does have a point, babe. But, Ji, Yonnie also has a point. You never dated, I never know of anyone you have any interest in, I’m worried you are planning on spending eternity alone.” Director Son mediates.

 

Jihyo and Chaeyoung shared the same father, but different mothers. Both had got their mothers family names, it helped to avoid gossip about the ‘prodigy’ doctor having ties with the director and diminishing Jihyo’s true skills. Not that she failed to prove her ability time and again, but the board were never interested in the truth anyways. Nayeon had been dating Chaeyoung for a few centuries now, a very unlikely couple, Chaeyoung and Jihyo were vampires, descendants from a very ancient and very noble lineage, whilst Nayeon was a Naga, one of the last of her kind and also a very much royal one among her race.

 

It was not unusual for vampires to dwell on the medical field, blood was easier to be acquired that way, but it was almost unheard of them practicing medicine, even less dealing with trauma surgery, it was supposed to be torture for them to around that amount of blood and not feeding on a daily basis. Jihyo was a very peculiar case, in this matter, she didn’t really feed that much, only going to the forest and hunting animals once, maybe twice a year, and she swore the amount of human blood around her everyday never bothered her.

 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Chaeyoung asks, after seeing her sister silent for a while.

 

“I’m not thinking of anything, really. Just zoned out for a while.” Jihyo tried sounding like she wasn’t mulling over Nayeon’s words.

 

“Sure.” The younger one says curtly. “Look, since I’m already here, I’m giving you the heads up. A new doctor is arriving soon, she is coming as a pediatric surgeon, orthopedics. So, you are the one showing her around, sys.”

 

“And I haven’t been warned of anything so far because?” Jihyo sounds frustrated.

 

“I know you are the head of orthopedics and all, but this is more of a politics transfer, so we kind of had to take her. But nothing is really official yet, this is just privileged information this far.” Chaeyoung is nonchalant about it all.

 

“Yeah, and I have no say in this, I’m guessing.” Jihyo receives a nod. “Well, just tell me when she’s getting here so I can fix my schedule. It’s not the first, nor is it going to be the last time these transfers happen.” Jihyo sighs in defeat.

 

“Sure thing. Let’s go, babe.” Chae stands up to leave but stops at the door. “Oh, and she’s abnormal too, I just don’t know what she is yet.”

 

Jihyo just waves her sister off and dives back into her paperwork. Turns out, said girl was arriving in a few days, the official memo came in the next day, and Jihyo tried to make free time in her schedule to go through the introductions and whatever. They still didn’t know what the girl was, but director Son said she was coming from their japanese partners, and it was a very important transfer or whatever for their business. Jihyo didn’t really care for the details, and that’s exactly why Chaeyoung got the head position, while she was the PR for their family, the exact opposite of what they should be.

 

“Good morning, I’m here for my first day? I’m doctor Minatozaki.” A young woman says to the receptionist on a friday morning.

 

“Just a second, please.” The woman asks, before making a quick call and returning. “Director Son is waiting for you, here is your temporary pass, just go to the elevators on the left and get to the tenth floor.”

 

“Thank you very much, have a nice day.” The bubbly doctor says, before bouncing away.

 

Chaeyoung paged Jihyo as soon as she got the call, getting an answer that her sister was in surgery at the moment and would get back to her when she could. The paperwork could be completed while they waited anyways, so it wasn’t much to worry. The short director made her way to the elevator, only to be met with a nose-twisting, face-scrunching odor, so this girl was a werewolf, it would have been nice to get a warning beforehand, maybe get herself ready for that. She steels herself before the doors open, anyways.

 

“Minatozaki Sana?” The woman nods. “I’m director Son Chaeyoung, welcome.” She reaches out for a handshake.

 

“You are too comfortable with me for a vampire.” The bubbly one remarks.

 

“Part of the business, I guess? Come with me, your paperwork is waiting in my office.”

 

The new doctor growls in protest, those things were never fun, and she was hoping to avoid doing it as long as she could. Now THAT plan failed like a bad student. The director looks back and laughs, the distress didn’t suit the happy image the woman had at all.

 

“Would you like something to drink? We will be here for a while. Dr. Park, the head of orthopedics, she is in surgery right now, and we have to wait for her. And this should be completed anyways, so…” Chaeyoung drawls out, motioning to the files on her table.

 

“Let’s just get this over with? I can tell you don’t like this as much as I don’t director Son.” Sana resigns to her fate. “And I’d like a water, if possible.”

 

What seemed like an eternity later, Jihyo knocks on the door, excusing herself before coming in, the woman looked drained, despite her superhuman constitution, even Sana could see that exhaustion was the woman’s middle name at that point. Regardless, the werewolf was intrigued, this little woman was certainly not human, she could smell that, but it was impossible for her to figure out exactly what, that might turn out to be more interesting than she signed up for.

 

“Good afternoon, I’m dr. Park Jihyo. I apologise for my delay.”

 

“Not a all, Kim called in, she explained there was an emergency surgery.” Chaeyoung tranquilizes her sister.

 

“Still, I believe I should apologise. I made you two wait for too long, I believe.” Jihyo says, as she bows apologetically.

 

“It’s alright, we all know how surgeries can go, especially the emergency ones.” Sana stands up to greet the other doctor.

 

“This was a very interesting one, though. A young man, early twenties, came in with a smashed patella and dislocated femur, it was lodged behind his hip bone that, unbelievably, didn’t even crack with the trauma.” Jihyo tells, excitedly.

 

“Now, that is something to see. I’ve only heard of two other instances where that type of trauma.” Sana ponders, equally excited.

 

“I’m stopping you both right there.” Chaeyoung intervenes when Jihyo is about to speak again. “Time for you to tour her around and show her to her office.” She directs to her sister. “Now shoo, I have somewhere to be.”

 

“Tell Nayeon I said hi.” Jihyo says over her shoulder, heading out after Sana.

 

The two doctors head to the elevator, Sana still thinking about how the surgery dr. Park had just described might have gone, and wondering if she would come across interesting cases like that one. After a few years seeing all kinds of stupidity induced trauma, she wanted some less predictability. 

 

“I have to ask, is it usual to get unusual cases here?” 

 

“Not that often, at least not for pediatrics. Sorry.” Jihyo offers a smile.

 

“But I can scrub in sometimes, right?” Sana insists.

 

“That would be up to the head surgeon. But sure, if they agree, there’s no harm.” Jihyo stops walking in front of an office. “This is your new office, dr. Minatozaki.”

 

“I thought it would take longer.” Sana steps in behind the short doctor. “It looks great, and the view isn’t too bad also.” The window was towards the garden at the back.

 

“This whole floor is pediatrics, all the specialized offices are on this side of the floor, I’ll introduce you to all the doctors, but there is a map behind your door.” Dr. Park explains, earning a nod. “The head of pediatrics should come by later today, or early tomorrow to greet you and give you your case files. It’s dr. Wang, he is a cardiologist, he is operating today, a very complicated case, I believe it will take him a while.”

 

“That’s alright, I’m not set to start seeing patients until wednesday anyhow.” Dr. Minatozaki asures. “About that tour.”

 

“Right, follow me.”

 

Jihyo proceeds to show the woman around the pediatrics floor, proceeding to the orthopedics floor, where she introduces the entire team, then down to the E.R., it was all very professional, Sana noticed. It was strange, that was clearly a supernatural being, yet, Sana couldn’t pinpoint which kind, the younger (she assumed) doctor smelled like a warm summer afternoon in a forest, by a lake. It was so welcoming and comforting, yet, something told her to keep her distance.

 

“Do you have any other questions, places you would like to see and I haven’t shown you…” Jihyo draws out, leaving the invitation open to anything the other could want to ask.

 

“I think we covered everything. I am hungry, though.” The taller woman chuckles.

 

“Sure, follow me.”

 

They proceed to the staff cafeteria, talking about whatever, getting to know each other, Jihyo never let her professional stance waver, Sana was bothered by that, they were supposed to be getting acquainted but there seemed to be a very clear wall between them, not to mention dr. Park had a mesmerizing figure, and a very attractive aura, combined with her good natured personality…. Let’s just say Sana had more than enough to entertain her fantasies for the rest of eternity.

 

Jihyo got paged for an emergency halfway through lunch, Sana just told her she would get back to director Son and then go home, they could talk again later, sending the frantic doctor off. It came to her, that she could take the time and talk to some of the staff, she sure saw some nurses looking at her during the tour, maybe start there.

 

Making her way back to the E.R. nurse station, Sana spotted some nurses talking, it didn’t look like they were exactly on call, so she decided to approach, may as well get to know her colleagues, bonus that they are pretty girls.

 

“Good afternoon, ladies.” Sana greets as she approaches. “I’m dr. Minatozaki Sana, it’s my first day today.”

 

“We saw you with dr. Park, some were disheartened thinking she finally got together with someone. I’m nurse Kim Dahyun, this is Park Sooyoung.” The short (at least close to her friend) one greets.

 

“How so? Dr. Park is that popular?” The doctor gets interested, not forgetting to shake hands with both nurses.

 

“It really is your first day, huh?! Dr. Park is one of the most popular ones around here, doesn’t help that she is very oblivious to flirting, or anything romantic in general.” Nurse Park explains with a smile.

 

“I did notice everyone seemed to be looking at us, I thought it was just because I was new.”

 

“Partially, but they should quiet down when they see you in scrubs walking around. Seeing you with dr. Park may have earned you some side-eyes today, it should stop once director Son introduces you properly, though.” Nurse Kim offers.

 

“She told me about that, the official communication should be today, and there will be a quick announcement for the pediatric and orthopedics department monday morning, as I was told.” Sana ponders, earning understanding nods from both women.

 

They make some more conversation, before the new doctor headed to the other two departments to introduce herself as well, it seemed the intriguing dr. Park was somewhat an idol at the hospital, and, according to what her sister had told her, in the east asia medical society in general. Seeing her in person, dr. Minatozaki was eager to experience for herself the charms of dr. Park Jihyo.

 

Everything was fine for the first few months, Jihyo was an angel, possibly literally, and Sana never had an easier transition, the lycan noticed the angry looks disappeared as soon as she was announced to both the pediatrics and orthopedics departments, everyone was always more than happy to help, and the whispered comments had vanished as well. That doctor sure had a lot of fans, it seemed, which brought Sana to observe the woman any spare time she had.

 

It had been months, she had been to quite a few gatherings with her workmates, and never once dr. Angel joined in, she was told it was normal and that Jihyo only ever attended official events, never really staying that long as well. On the daily, she would see dr. nice ass (don’t judge, she had needs too) be the loveliest person she had ever seen with the patients, and a level headed, strict and gentle team leader when on call at the E.R., and a meticulous surgeon, be it orthopedics or trauma. The times Sana had scrubbed in on Jihyo’s surgeries, she was mesmerized by the woman’s ability.

 

All that brought the werewolf to develop a few feelings towards the mysterious woman, sure, she felt physically attracted, but she held a lot of respect and admiration as a doctor, and endearment as a friend. It had been more than easy to befriend dr. Park, she was very nice and open to others, having even told Sana she had a best friend and a younger sister, both working at the hospital.

 

It was a quiet afternoon when Sana had made her way to Jihyo’s office, she had some paperwork to deliver and, maybe, take the time to hit on dr. Dreamy a little. Her plans seemed to wash away with the bucket of cold water she felt she had been hit with. There was this very pretty woman, a doctor, she noted, all over her Jihyo. Wait, her? No, no, no, no.

 

Back to the woman being too intimate for Sana’s taste, and Jihyo seemed comfortable enough with her, was this the one that snatched dr. Park? Who was this woman? She smelled supernatural, but Sana didn’t know the scent, it smelled like rain. Before she could snap out of her thoughts, Jihyo noticed the new presence by the door and invited her in.

 

“Dr. Minatozaki, come in. Tell me those are for me.” The smaller one says, pointing at the folders.

 

“All yours, dr. Park.” Sana smiles. “I can come back later, if you are busy.”

 

“Oh, don’t mind her. Yeonnie, go sit at the couch and be a good girl for me.” The woman just nods, heading to the couch, after giving Sana a knowing smile.

 

“Here you go, but I do have something to discuss with you.”

 

“The Choi case, I’m taking.” Jihyo says, already knowing what this was about.

 

“So you are thinking about it too.”

 

“I have been doing some research, there is a colleague in Nevada that dealt with the exact same case, and he was successful in solving the problem. I asked him to shed some light in it and he sent me the files this morning. I’ll forward them to you and we can work this together with neurology.” Jihyo, as always, is very gentle but extremely professional.

 

“That’s great, then. I’ll have a look at the files and we can set a meeting.”

 

“Let’s hope for the best. Is there anything else we should talk about?” Dr. Park asks, after inspecting the files.

 

“Not at the moment.” Sana ponders. “Oh, I saw you are performing a arthroscopy in a V.V.I.P. today, can I scrub in?”

 

“Would you like to assist?” 

 

“Can I? I would love to!” Dr. Minatozaki lights up.

 

“I’ll make the arrangements, but it’s not a problem.”

 

“Hyohyo, I’m bored, can we go have fun, already?” Nayeon whines from the couch.

 

“Just a second.” Jihyo asks Sana, and proceeds to make a quick call. “It’s Jihyo, she is here again…. Yeah, that would be lovely….. Thank you.” She hangs up and turns back to Sana. “Sorry about that.”

 

“Don’t worry. I should get going and finish my rounds before the surgery.” The werewolf stands up. “I’ll see you later.”

 

Dr. Minatozaki makes her way out in haste, looking nervous about something Jihyo had no idea of. The vampire just shrugs it off as a werewolf thing and goes back to the woman grinning at her from her couch, Nayeon looked like she knew something Jihyo didn’t, but that wasn’t anything new, so she just waits for Chaeyoung to arrive and control her girlfriend. It doesn’t take long.

 

“Yeonnie, why do you always come and bother Jihyo? Just come to my office if you have that much free time.” 

 

“I came here with a purpose, getting cuddly with Hyo is just a bonus.” Nayeon smirks victoriously.

 

“Just try not to bother her too much to the point she has to call me.” Chaeyoung surrenders.

 

“In my defense, she just called you because wolf girl was bothered.”

 

“In my defense, I was trying to work and you wanted to play around.” Jihyo retorts.

 

“Oh, then it’s alright. Ji, please don’t call me just because Minatozaki is bothered, if you do, I’d better just move my office here.” Chae pleads.

 

“Ooookaaayyy….. You all are weird.” 

 

“Oh, Hyohyo, my sweet child. You have so much to learn.” Nayeon coos.

 

“Sure thing, look, I have to go and talk to my patient before the operation, you two.” Jihyo pauses at the door. “Just air out the room after you are done. And get it cleaned up, please.” Then she leaves.

 

After talking to her patient, Jihyo proceeds to check the O.R. and make sure everything is ready to go. Sure, it wasn’t her job to do that, she was the head surgeon for this, and residents were there for that kind of thing, but it was one of her pre-op routines, it helped her calm down. It was only when she steps out of the room that she notices dr. Minatozaki observing her from the window, a smile playing on her lips that Jihyo couldn’t tell which emotions it hid.

 

Sana holds the fond smile as she speaks to the caring doctor. Sure, she was there for the opportunity to watch THE dr. Park Jihyo in action, maybe learn a thing or two, but she couldn’t help but let her heart sway a little.

 

“Dr. Minatozaki, you are early. Is something wrong?”

 

“Not at all, it’s just my pre-op thing, I come and look at the O.R. for a while. It helps me calm down.”

 

“Don’t mind me, then. I’m just going through my rituals as well. Checking everything helps me organize my thoughts and do a mental runthrough the procedures.”

 

“It’s never bad to make sure everything is good to go. If it helps, that’s alright.” 

 

Both stand in silence for a while, before the team starts coming in, Jihyo moves to get her shot of coffee before scrubbing in, and Sana goes to start washing her hands. The werewolf was very interested in assisting, it was one thing to observe, it was entirely different to have hands-on experience with a prodigy, at the very least, she would come out having observed how the big girls play.

 

It was supposed to be a five-hour surgery, Jihyo pulled it off in three, and nobody seemed to find it unusual, dr. Minatozaki was perplexed, she had seen everything happening first hand, but it still felt surreal when she had come out and checked the time. Dr. Genius operated with some bubblegum pop playing, and a calm and dexterity that none compared, it got Sana reflecting on her life after everything ended.

 

“It’s alright.” A tall brunette had approached Sana in the cafeteria, where she had been sitting since she came out of the O.R.

 

“I’m sorry, what?” She remembered the woman as the anesthetist.

 

“I’m dr. Chou, head anesthetist. Was it your first time on deck with dr. Park?” 

 

“Hello, I’m dr. Minatozaki Sana, nice to meet you. Yeah, it was my first time, I had observed before, but it’s very different.”

 

“It’s very different indeed.” The woman chuckles. “But it’s alright. We all went through the same thing on our first time.”

 

“Oh.” Is the only thing Sana manages. She’s glad for being understood, though. “Dr. Chou?”

 

“Yes?” 

 

“You didn’t tell me your name. Your first name, I mean.” 

 

“Tzuyu. Dr. Chou Tzuyu. Don’t worry too much, little pup, the team that works directly with her is just used to it, we’ve been together for a very long time already.” The woman stands up and leaves before Sana manages to say anything.

 

Little pup? So dr. Chou was also abnormal and knew what she was, but Sana had no clue as to what the woman was, though, another unfamiliar smell. It smelled of lemon tea and chocolates, it drew her in and offered comfort, still, no clue of what the woman might be.

 

It was only after that ethereal (?) experience that Sana started noticing the tall and gorgeous dr. Chou. Was that a thing in this hospital? To have smoking hot doctors, that excelled in their fields? She found out that Tzuyu was also very prominent with her researches and findings. What did bring her to Sana’s attention was her proximity with a certain hot pants she was considering pursuing.

 

The two seemed to be in almost all surgeries together, if it wasn’t a trauma operation or a emergency one, they were on the same team, the lycan also noted the duo seemed very close, and she was, now, seeing them everywhere together. It also may or may not have been that she wasn’t seeing anything else whenever she looked at Jihyo, as the two never really changed how they were with each other.

 

Tzuyu was a very ancient Wuchang Gui, the oldest of her kind still awaken (not that she had any plans to slumber, but still), and Jihyo, being the kind hearted diplomat she was, had been close friends with the tall deity, Tzuyu was hesitant at first, but soon found herself having a very soft spot for the small, weird and very endearing vampire, despite the fact she smelled really weird for one, more like a deity like herself, reminding her of Yama.

 

It was about a year since Sana had started at the hospital, and everyone had noticed her interest in everyone’s favorite doctor, except said doctor. And there were heaps of pretty and very capable women hanging around Jihyo, which made everything that much more difficult. Everyone knew that the resident pup had the hots for the resident airhead, and they all took their chances to bother the taller one, it was fun, and most of them were just kinda bored immortals.

 

Jihyo, on her side, had found dr. Minatozaki very weird, she would be very friendly, then turn sour all of a sudden, then get giddy, then give her the stink eye, then go back to friendly. Sometimes in the span of an hour. It was confusing, to say the least, but she had to admit, the woman had talent, and never faltered doing her job, was great with kids (she did work pediatrics), and very diligent with her paperwork. Despite the oddity, Jihyo had nothing to complain about Sana.

 

It wasn’t until a particularly usual afternoon, where Nayeon and Tzuyu were crowding her office, trying to get her to indulge them and getting professionally ignored, that Sana snapped. Those two had been getting on her nerves for months, being all clingy and touchy feely with HER Jihyo, and they looked very pleased in doing so. She thought she couldn’t blame them, though, they were friends and had know each other for however long they had (it was a long time).

 

“Okay, I can’t do this anymore!” 

 

“Dr. Minatozaki, are you alright? Is there a problem? Please don’t quit.” Jihyo got frantic.

 

“What? No, I’m not quitting, this is not about my job.” Sana responds exasperated.

 

“Okay, please calm down.” The smaller one asks, sliding over a glass of water. “Could you two leave us for a while?” She directs to the two smug looking and immensely entertained women.

 

“We’ll go to Chaengie’s office, join us when you are done.” Nayeon agrees, pushing (very literally) a complaining Tzuyu out the door.

 

“Dr. Minatozaki, would you like to talk about it? Is there something I can do to help?” 

 

“You can look at me.” Sana huffs.

 

“I believe I am looking at you? I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

 

“Not like that, Ji.” The pup is frustrated. “I mean to say, I’m interested in you.”

 

“I appreciate that, I do try my best to do a good jo-”

 

“Not like that, I mean romantically.” Minatozaki snaps again.

 

“Oh.” Is the answer from a stunned dr. Park.

 

“Jihyo? Are you alright? Please answer me?” 

 

“I a- I didn’t know.”

 

“That’s because I didn’t tell you.”

 

“Should I have noticed? I feel I should have noticed. I’m sorry-” Jihyo starts panicking.

 

“Hey, hey, no. It’s okay, I should have been clear about it, about everything. Don’t blame yourself, I know you probably didn’t even consider it.”

 

“I- I didn’t. I’m sorry.” Jihyo looks small and frail, Sana actually moves to hug her.

 

“You really feel that bad about it, don’t you?” She gets a nod. “Don’t, I don’t blame you and I’m not mad. It’s just, I always see those two hanging around you, and keep thinking it should be me, that I want you to look at me and be in my arms. But I also know you are friends, and I can’t really be mad about that.”

 

“You promise you are not mad at me and my friends.” The woman looks so small and childlike that Sana can’t find it in herself a drop of her previous irritation.

 

“I promise, but I have something to ask you. Is that okay?” Sana’s voice comes out soft, as if talking to her young patients.

 

“Okay.” Jihyo answers with a sniff.

 

“Don’t cry, now. Will you be my girlfriend?”

 

“I don’t know how to do that.” There is so much innocence in the answer, dr. Minatozaki deflates and can’t stop her smile.

 

“It’s okay, we can find out together.” Sana chuckles.

 

“Okay.” Jihyo agrees in a small voice.

 

“Okay?”

 

“Okay, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

 

“Good. Because I don’t think I could still work here if you didn’t agree.”

 

“Of course you could, you are a very good doctor and I think you are doing a very good jo-”

 

“I was not serious, Ji.” Sana cuts the blabbering. “So, you are my girlfriend now, and I want to ask, just what are you?”

 

“What do you mean? I’m a surgeon?”

 

“No, no. I mean what supernatural are you. Like I’m a werewolf, but you don’t really smell like anything I’m familiar with.”

 

“Oh, that. I’m a vampire.” Jihyo answers naturally, as if it was obvious.

 

“You are a what, now? You definitely don’t smell like a vampire, and I’ve seen you around blood enough to be certain you are not vampire-ish at all.” Sana sounds almost outraged.

 

“That’s because I never drank from a human.” Again, as if it was normal.

 

“That’s impossible.”

 

“Not really, just unusual. Most vampires prefer human blood, from the source whenever possible, but it’s surely not impossible. I mean, I’m doing it.”

 

“So you never, like NEVER never drank from a human?”

 

“Nope. I was born, not embraced, so that should help, but I never really drank from humans.”

 

“But I never see you feed? I never even felt you thirst at all.”

 

“That’s because I don’t. I program my feeding and drink once a month, usually from mountain lions on the forest. Not that I ever need it, it’s just a precaution of sorts?”

 

“You are one very weird vampire.” Sana concludes, amused and intrigued about her new findings.

 

“Chae tells me the same thing.”

 

“Chae? You mean director Son?”

 

“Yeah, she’s my younger sister.” That damn naturality in her voice.

 

“Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You can’t just drop a bomb like that and play it off as nothing.”

 

“I thought you knew? It’s not like we are that different.” Jihyo looks perplexed.

 

“Where? You two are short, and that’s about all you have in common.” Sana is dumbfounded, again. “Alright, since you are dropping all the bombshells, what are dr. Im and dr. Chou? I never smelled any others like them.”

 

“Yeonnie is a Naga, Tzu is a Wuchang Gui, a chinese deity or whatever, she told me not to worry about it, so I didn’t.”

 

“So, I met two very rare supernaturals and wasn’t even aware of it”?

 

“Three.”

 

“Who else?”

 

“Nurse Kim. She is the Jade Rabbit.”

 

“You gotta be kidding me.”

 

“No. But nobody would blame you for not recognising her, she smells like rice cakes and it could easily pass as non-supernatural.”

 

“She does smells of rice cakes. It’s a nice smell. But you smell nicer.”

 

“Thanks, you are not that bad yourself.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“I was expecting wet dog, but you smell of pines and grass. It’s nice.”

 

“I can’t really counter that one, most of us really stink of wet dog.” Sana stops, thinking of what else to say. “Say, if your sister is Son Chaeyoung, why are those two waiting for you at her office?”

 

“Oh, they are the biggest gossipers you will ever meet. They will milk me for every last drop of information about what happened here.”

 

“So, should we go together? I mean, I’m your girlfriend now, it’s my job to stand up for you.”

 

“Your funeral. Let’s go, then.” Jihyo starts heading to the door. 

 

“Wait. I-” Sana stops at the innocent glint in Jihyo’s eyes. “It’s nothing, let’s go.”


	8. Gift? - SaHyo

Twice was a group admired on and off stage by anyone lucky enough to interact with them, they were all well-mannered, kind and understanding, going to lengths not many other artists did towards (mostly) any staff they worked with. They did have a very serious problem, though, it came in a very cute, fun-sized package, named Park Jihyo, and it was troublesome to the entire group, not to mention their team and the crew that would work with them.

 

That problem, my dearies, was that Park Jihyo had been blessed (quite the opposite, but we’ll get to that), and most times, things would get really dangerous. Jihyo’s grandmother was a seer, very famous and fairly powerful one, on her dying bed, the woman had used the last of her power to bestow upon Jihyo what she thought was a blessing her granddaughter would need in her career. She made Jihyo irresistible to opposite gender, no man could remain unaffected in her presence, be it straight, gay assexual, you name it, they were pulled by Jihyo’s “”””gift”””” in their own way.

 

That happened just after OH AH promotions, they had stopped promoting a few days before Jihyo was called by JYP himself, saying she was being sent home for a week per her mother request. Then he just gave the girl a fatherly warm hug and sent her on her way. Jihyo’s mother had called, explaining that Park grandma was on her last moments in the hospital and asked for Jihyo to be sent home for a few days to say goodbye to the woman. Jinyoung didn’t want to take mrs. Park’s chance to tell her daughter herself, so he just set her off saying the least possible.

 

The girls were intrigued when their leader was called in the middle of rehearsal, but Jinyoung had come down and explained her grandmother was in the hospital and he sent Jihyo home for a week, so they would continue their schedules without their leader in the meantime. Two days later, Jihyo had called in, saying her grandma passed, and all made sure to attend the funeral. The effects of the gift started manifesting the day after the funeral, excluding mr Park, direct relatives wouldn’t be affected, but Jihyo only had sisters, every man that came to be in Jihyo’s vicinity felt compelled towards the girl.

 

JYP, incredibly, became overprotective, his father instincts may have been stronger than anyone may have guessed, and the managers started noticing how men started acting in very concerning ways near the small leader, so, it became a new politics to have any man that would come into direct contact with Jihyo sign a contract saying they were not to touch the woman, unless she asked them directly. Music shows were the most problematic, they would have the tv stations sign for all the employees, but couldn’t really make the idols themselves do so. 

 

The other solution was to have the girls circle around their leader and make sure no male was close enough to pose any danger. It was only after long that they found out the true reason behind this weird and concerning male behaviour that suddenly surrounded Park Jihyo. Mrs Park had, finally, found herself sorting through her mother-in-law’s things, figuring out what to give away, what to discard and so on, when she found a letter her late mother-in-law left behind, saying goodbye to all of them, telling her son and his wife to life their lives to their fullest and not be tied down by her absence, and telling them about the blessing she would give her oldest granddaughter.

 

When she found out, Jihyo could only rage about it when she found out, she didn’t want men falling to her feet, she didn’t need them to look at her any differently from what they usually did, and it certainly made things all that much harder on her, but the main reason of her distress was rolling on the floor in laughter, with her two oldest friends when she told the group. Tzuyu and Mina had been the only ones with enough decency to try and pretend they weren’t that amused about it, the others were in various stages of maniacal laughter.

 

The reason for their entertainment was pretty simple, Jihyo was as gay as they came, she really had no need, whatsoever, for men to be interested in her that way, and had been dating Sana since shortly after their debut. All the girls knew very well how gay Jihyo really was, it went to getting shy when she first saw Momo’s abs flash during practice, to not being able to keep her face from flushing on their dressing rooms when they all had to quickly change backstage. It was adorable to them, how shy their ever confident leader would get near pretty girls. 

 

“You all suck, I’m going to be in my room and Sana?” The girl looks up, still laughing. “Be sure to find someone to take ou in until second order, I don’t sleep with traitors.” And she storms off.

 

Sana gets teased by the other members, saying she screwed up, but none was really able to control themselves until much later on. The plan was to order Jihyo’s favorite food and lure her out, Sana was to keep making moves on her until she gave in. It wasn’t the first time something like that happened, and they got really used to soothing the woman, for that, chicken feet it was for dinner. Sana went off to take a shower and decided to borrow something from Mina’s private collection, the girl was wild, people just tended to not think she was. Momo’s tight shorts and fitted crop top contributed to complete the look, and she was ready to have her fiancè allow her back into their bed.

 

The couple got engaged around What is Love? era, JYP was hesitant when they first came to him about their relationship, but both were so discreet and so good at hiding it from the public, he just asked them to tell him about the major things and they were fine. The major thing was Sana coming to him, ring already bought, saying she wanted to propose, Jinyoung just called mr and mrs Park over, Sana got their approval and went ahead with her plans. When the group got moved to their new dorm, the couple asked for their own room, and Jihyo settled for the smallest one, saying they didn’t really need too much space, truth was, it was the only room that was isolated from the others, giving them the privacy they needed.

 

Nayeon was the one to go and call her over for dinner, throwing the unnie card and demanding that everyone ate together, going ahead and guilt-tripping Jihyo by saying she was giving the youngests a bad example. So the little leader just dragged herself out of bed and went to the dining room, still with the towel on her shoulders, despite having already dried her hair after her shower. Jihyo loved taking showers when she got angry, it helped her relax and put her thoughts in order, whatever peace of mind she had, vanished when she got to the dinner table and saw Sana, knowing exactly what the group’s intentions were.

 

“You all suck.” She mumbles, already accepting defeat, as she said at the table.

 

Sana giggles and puts a plate of food in front of her. Don’t blame Jihyo, she was weak to Sana looking like a whole meal, and they were eating chicken feet, Tzuyu, Dahyun and Mina hated chicken feet and were eating it anyways, for her. Not her fault her babies were willing to go that far just to lift her mood, and what was she going to do? Say no?

 

“You will be the death of me.” Jihyo mentions when Sana enters the bathroom under the guise of brushing her teeth.

 

“Tell me you wouldn’t go happily.” The fiancè challenges.

 

“Oh, certainly would. But you looking like that is completely not fair. I was trying to be angry at you and you were ruining it.”

 

“I borrowed a little surprise for you from Mina.” Sana whispers before she starts brushing her teeth.

 

“I- you- Mina-” Jihyo tries.

 

They all knew Mina was the freakiest one among them, Nayeon and Dahyun’s bruises were always proof of that. The trio would get freaky often, Nayeon being one to never back down, and Dahyun being too gullible, Mina would easily have her way with them, and some hickeys just couldn’t be explained in any vanilla way, at all. So, Sana having borrowed something meant very fun times ahead, even if it was just some lingerie, it would still, very certainly, be on a whole other level.

 

“Come on, babe. I want to have my way with you, and do NOT intend to be gentle tonight.” Sana whispers in Jihyo’s ear, making sure to do some extra hip swaying on her way out.

 

Jihyo just finishes up quickly, making haste on her way to her bedroom, she passes by the living room looking slightly disheveled, earning herself a round of wolf whistling and light mocking that sounds just like white noise to her. She gets to the bedroom and Sana is sitting on their bed, legs crossed, those tight shorts doing wonders to leave nothing to imagination. The older woman smirks, knowing she already caught her fiancè, and the night was promising.

 

Next morning Jihyo was found in the kitchen making pancakes, except for her face, every other inch of her body was covered in hickeys and what looked like bite marks, there were some finger prints peeking out from underneath her shorts. Tzuyu, the first one up, decided to just greet good morning and not mention anything, Jeongyeon, on the other hand, decided it was too good to just let it go, so she began causing a ruckus about the state she found their leader and waking up the rest of the group.

 

“Yoo Jeongyeon, you better have a great reason to wake me up before my alarm.” Nayeon scolds, stopping dead on her tracks when she catches sight of Jihyo.

 

“AMAGHAD! I never knew Sana had it in her to do a number on you!” The oldest screams.

 

The other girls get rowdy and jump in on the teasing until a high pitched and too overjoyed voice cuts through their noise.

 

“What are you all screaming about this early?” Sana asks, coming into the kitchen and hugging her fiancè from behind. “Hey, love, what’s for breakfast?”

 

“Hey you. I’m making pancakes, just sit down, I know you must be in pain, still.” Jihyo greets, kissing Sana’s cheek.

 

The taller one gives her fiancè a kiss back and starts limping to a chair on the dining table, the others had been watching since Sana had appeared in the middle of the kitchen, and were taking in the sight. This was gold, and they would have enough teasing for the rest of the year with it.

 

Sana was limping severely, her hickeys were worse and much more than Jihyo’s, there were more bite marks as well, and the back of her thighs had very clear hand prints, something like that had never happened before, and it was sure to give Mina a run for her title. Which earned Nayeon and Dahyun a very interesting and very tiring night that day, but this is another story.


	9. The apocalypse? - MoHyo

Jihyo was relaxing on the couch after a very annoying and almost useless work day, she spent the entirety of her work hours dealing with that one client nobody wanted and she got stuck with thanks to a flu on an estrategic day. She was waiting for her fiancè to arrive home as well, so they could get to that dinner they had been postponing for the last three weeks, she doesn’t mind, she knows how the woman’s job can be extremely demanding and overtime is almost a requirement, but they still need their own time to pamper each other.

 

There is the sound of a portal opening, the screams of tortured souls, hoofs sounding on the wooden floor, which sizzles slightly at the contact, then everything goes silent for a few seconds. Jihyo smiles lovingly when the usual whine reaches her ears, who knew the devil would be such a baby, then she remembers and screams.

 

“STOP RIGHT THERE AND GET RID OF THOSE HOOFS, I’M NOT CHANGING THE FLOORBOARDS AGAIN!” 

 

“But Ji, I’m already tired, the transformation is too bothersome.” See? The devil is just a whiny baby, but she is Jihyo’s baby.

 

Jihyo gets up and heads to the entrance, after the day the portal was opened on their bedroom and got their bed burned down, Jihyo had gone into a two hour scolding and it was decided portals were restricted to the entrance area. So, the smaller woman stands there, looking as manancing as ever, making sure to get her point across, and it would be the third time that month they would have to replace the entrance floor.

 

“Momo, you change your lower body right now, or you are not setting foot in this house.”

 

“It’s my house too, you know.” Momo tries to negotiate, but brings her feet back anyways.

 

“Good, now go wash that pits of suffering whatever off and we are going for dinner.”

 

“But I want to cuddle and maybe kisses.” There is the whining again.

 

Jihyo just shoots more daggers and goes back to the living room silently, Momo whines some more but moves to do what she was told. It’s funny to see the queen of hell being that whipped for a mortal, well, semi-mortal, but still. They were an odd couple, and their friends would often question how they managed to work out that well, yet, here they are, engaged, living together and the happiest they had ever been.

 

Both met on the annual deity convention, Jihyo was forced to go when Nayeon, who happens to be her older half-sister that managed these things, ran away with Dahyun (another deity like them), caused chaos and she got thrown the responsibilities. Momo didn’t have much choice, she could try to get away with asking Chaeyoung to take over for her, but they worked the same place on different ends, so it was never really something she tried.

 

The first time they interacted was when Chaeyoung was speaking up, trying to get the budget for Charon’s boat to, finally, be replaced, and Momo moved in favor, even agreeing to relocate some of her own budget to help a sister out. Jihyo had asked to speak and just laid out a perfect solution for the request where nobody would have to give up that much and the replacement could go through. Chaeyoung was eternally grateful for the help, and Momo was in love from the moment she laid her eyes on Jihyo.

 

The daughter of Athena was a bit harder to woo over than Momo had anticipated, she is the devil, seducing people is part of her job and there she was, looking like a dumbass. It was never hard to seduce Nayeon, but she guessed the goddess would be better at handling whatever they came to do, which probably wasn’t the same for a demigod. Then again, Omoikane was not that wise, as it had been proven. Really, what was she thinking running away with that damn fox to come back a few decades later, simply claiming it didn’t work out. Does that brat even know the trouble she caused?!

 

Momo had been remembering those times while getting ready, that got her in a slightly sour mood, so she gets back to the living room, finding Jihyo on the couch playing with Herbert (Momo’s familiar, yes they exist, yes she had one). The racoon jumps away when Momo approaches, allowing the woman to fall with her face on her fiancè’s lap, sighing deeply as she feels the exhaustion leaving her body, Jihyo had that very much desired effect on her, no matter how hard her day had gone.

 

“Do you want to order something and just cuddle the night away?” Jihyo offers.

 

“Can we? I know I owe you a dinner, but it would be very nice to just stay home in our ugly pajamas and let me cuddle you until we are too tired to stay awake.” Momo has those damn puppy eyes that make Jihyo weak on the knees.

 

“Fine, but we are ordering from a nice place.” Jihyo gives up. “And my pajamas aren’t ugly, you just don’t understand my fine taste in clothes.”

 

“You know I know you let Chaeyoung drag you to that shopping afternoon and you regret buying to green pikachu pajamas, right? I love you, but you don’t need to be that stubborn with those things.” Momo laughs.

 

“Remember to order something nice for Herbert too, I’m going to get my nice pajamas on and some whine on the decanter.” Jihyo ignores what the other just said and gets up.

 

Momo starts whining again, about how she lost her pillow, why was dinner on her, about there not being any reason to order Herbert anything, he ate trash for crying out loud, that they should go out pajama shopping soon because she hated those ugly green pajamas, and whatever else neither Jihyo nor Herbert had the patience to keep listening to. They ended up with some fine sushi that Tzuyu had delivered herself, some deep water species only she could get her hands on. Momo may or may not have promised a favor in exchange for that.

 

“I’m back, was that Tzuyu I just heard?” Jihyo asks entering the kitchen, she made sure to wear the cotton pajamas Momo had given her on Christmas.

 

“Oh, I like those.” The woman compliments, eyeing the clothing choice. “And yes, I got us sushi.”

 

“You didn’t promise her another favor for those, right?” 

 

“She likes you too much, don’t worry.” The devil goes to envelop her lover in a tight hug, beginning her seduction game that rarely works.

 

“Sure, just don’t let me catch you two trying to cut Charon’s beard because of a dare with Chae again. Now let’s eat, I was promised cuddles.” Jihyo lets go, it would be too much of a headache to try and argue about it.

 

They do eat and Tzuyu, as always, has a perfect selection for them, Jihyo was always happy with whatever abyssal fish she was given, they tasted the best, although very chewy (absolutely no pun intended). Herbert got some rotisserie chicken with cheddar sauce, he loved the combination and nobody knew what was so good about it. It was a nice dinner, they talked, Momo complained about the increasing workload and Jihyo about how difficult teenagers were, especially when they became trainees. 

 

Before long they had finished the dishes and found themselves back on their couch, the fireplace was lit, despite not being needed, Momo claimed it was all about the romance, so Jihyo never tried to stop her, and Herbert loved sleeping in front of the flames, whatever type of hell’s familiar behaviour that was. It was normal to find the racoon sleeping on the dying embers in the morning. It was a routine Jihyo loved since they began doing it, they had been together for, about, 127 years, living together for 120 of them, there was never a day that Momo didn’t come home and hugged Jihyo to sleep tightly.

 

“Mo, I think we should get married.”

 

“What?”

 

“Getting married? The two of us? I think it’s time.”

 

“I know we’ve been engaged for over one hundred years, but you had never mentioned marriage before now, I even asked sixty years ago and you said it wasn’t needed.”

 

“I know, but that was then, now I think we should marry.”

 

“I’m all up for it, but why now?”

 

“Because your whiny ass might have gotten me pregnant.” Jihyo blurts out and hopes for the best.

 

“I- you- Is this for real?” Momo jumps up in excitement. “You are telling me we are having a child?” Then she halts. “I-”

 

Momo passes out, and that’s the worst situation Jihyo was hoping didn’t happen, you see, Momo did look like a small and delicate woman, but her true form was gigantic, one can’t expect the queen of hell to be that meek, therefore, Momo passing out was something Jihyo very much did NOT want, even in her demigod glory she was far from being able to hoist her lovely fiancè. Herbert just came up to her and gave her his own little version of a hug and kiss on her cheek, before returning to his bed of fire (quite literally, the fireplace was still going).

 

“Can you come over and help me move Momo?” Jihyo says when she picks up the call. “Great, I’m waiting.”

 

A few seconds later she hears her door opening and some noisy people coming in. Herbert just looks up and sighs before getting back to sleep, that’s when Jihyo gets almost tackled by Sana, if it wasn’t by Mina holding her back, they were an odd couple, but worked so well together. 

 

“Why did she pass out this time?” Mina asks, still holding Sana.

 

“Well, Isuggestedwegotmarriedbecauseimightbepregnant.” Jihyo mumbles out, it would be difficult for anyone else to understand, except the other three in the room with her.

 

“Oh my me! Are you serious?” Mina lights up.

 

“I’m going to pass out a little too.” Is what they get as a heads up before Sana is out as well.

 

“Amaterasu-sama, could you, please, help with moving these two from the floor?”

 

“I shall grant you this prayer if I’m offered some food.” Mina teases with a smirk.

 

“If you know Tzuyu came by and I ended up eating lasagna I made for lunch, and you want whatever we still have, just say it.” Jihyo tries to look displeased.

 

“I’ll take that as a ‘I’m going to take it out of the fridge and plate it for you, oh great goddess’.” Mina doesn’t wait for the answer and proceeds to move Momo to the couple’s bedroom, and Sana to the couch.

 

Jihyo just huffs but moves to prepare the food anyways, Momo could have said something if she was going to have that damn dragon bring them sushi when she shouldn’t be having any was torture. But Sana and Mina were part of their very close friends, living just a floor bellow, not to mention they were entertaining beyond imagination. Mina comes back and sits on the table very eager about her meal to come, and Sana was still out, Jiho moves to wake the other, she never wanted to repeat that one time Sana was sleeping and they ate without her.

 

“What the hell?” Sana wakes up with a jolt, having taken a very cold glass of water to her face.

 

“No, that’s where Momo works. Mina is eating, you better hurry.” Jihyo warns before she leaves.

 

“Sana, I know you are eating and all, but is it alright if you check for it later? I mean, it’s your specialty and all.”

 

“Sure!” Sana looks up with her mouth full of some white fish, then a faint but beautiful green glow envelops both women, and it’s gone as fast as it came. “You got twins, two girls. One takes after you, the other, too much after Momo, but nothing to worry about. Still, do pay a visit to Asclepius whenever he can see you.”

 

“Will do, thank you, Sana.” Jihyo smiles happily.

 

“No problem, caring for the kids is what I do. And this sushi is great, we should get Tzuyu to bring us some too.”

 

“Honey, we all know Momo owns her a favor for this now.” Mina sighs.

 

“That- Is very true, right, forget about it, we can just come over and steal from these two.” Sana agrees.

 

The two finish eating, the sushi and the rest of the lasagna and some more snacks, all the while catching up with each other. Momo woke up at some point, but took her sweet time getting out of bed, she felt like she had been ran over by a truck, Mina dropped her on purpose on the way to her bedroom, but will never admit to it. A lot of groaning later, the little devil comes back to the living room in time to wave their friends goodbye. Jihyo laughs at the distressed face the woman is making, but moves to get her something for the pain and guides them to their bedroom.

 

“Ji, what did Sana say?” Momo asks when she wraps the smaller one on her arms.

 

“She said the girls are fine, but I should go to Asclepius for a checkup whenever he can see me.” 

 

“Wait, girls? As in, more than one?”

 

“That would be right, we are having two girls.” 

 

“So we are bringing the apocalypse with two little girls?” Momo looked too excited for that.

 

“The apocalypse? Nah.” Jihyo dismisses.

 

“Why not? I mean, they are my children after all.”

 

“You have Sakura as well, and she was raised out of it.” The smaller one points out, reminding Momo of another of her daughters who was raised to be a very nice and very respectful woman, and ended up not bringing the apocalypse at all.

 

“That weird cult has been raising my children out of their antichrist roles for centuries already. These two are going to be raised by the two of us, I’m sure we can pull off the end of times.” Momo has a dreamy glance into nothing, Jihyo might be considering joining said cult.


	10. I'm sleepy

Inspired by Green Window and Paper Cuts, from sauveznous, go check it out:

 

[ https://archiveofourown.org/works/8346712/chapters/19121620 ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8346712/chapters/19121620)

 

[ https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884502/chapters/37013499 ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884502/chapters/37013499)

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

“Detective, just ask me the questions that brought me here?”

 

“That’s not how this works, Ms Park.” The detective snarls back.

 

“Look, I understand I’m a suspect, and you want to pressure me into telling the truth, but I’ve been doing that since you dragged me out of my house.” Ms Park, dr Park Jihyo, begs once again. “I’m just out of a forty-eight-hour shift, I went through three high risk surgeries, I really just want to sleep, please.”

 

“We are checking you alibi, Ms Park, if you talk before we find out you were lying, I might be able to help.”

 

“I really don’t need that kind of help, as you will understand as soon as your colleague calls. Look, let’s make a deal, I’m giving you my agreement to take whatever samples you might need for me, no need for my lawyer, just put me on a cell, give me a blanket and a water bottle and I’ll stay here.” Dr Park begs.

 

“I don’t think so.” The detective, once again, denies the request.

 

“Detective, let me explain better, I’m heavily sleep deprived. My body is about to shut down, and then, when you do figure out I’ve been telling you the truth from the start, you are going to have a very different conversation with my lawyers and the hospital’s lawyers. Now, put me in a cell where I can sleep or I will pass out in here.” The small doctor demands in an eerily calm tone.

 

“Fine! Kim, get her to a cell.” The detective concedes, looking right into the window and calling for her junior watching on the other side.

 

“That’s better, detective. No need to worry, I’ll cooperate entirely.” Jihyo smirks devilishly. “And, detective Kim, that yellowing on your eyes, you might want to get some more water into your system.” She advises to the shorter woman who comes in to guide her out.

 

The detective just shakes her head in frustration when the doctor says it, but never utters another word, just gesturing for the woman to be taken already. She had some rodeos with this kind of people before, name doctors that acted like they were unreachable, snobby people that fawned over the law enforcers. She wanted to scoff but schooled herself to not give the doctor the satisfaction, she needed to wait for Jinyoung to report back to have anything to go off on.

 

Walking down the hallway behind the pale detective, Jihyo decides to, maybe, get a reaction and find out a bit more about why she was there to begin with. Not that the nice detective lady had given her any kind of clue earlier, just snarled something about confessing to what she did and nothing else. Not that it was her first time getting accused about something, but that was just because of her whore self getting into the pants of almost all the nice ladies high society had to offer, almost because she hadn’t made her way to meet them all yet.

 

“You know, doctor.” Detective Kim offers when Jihyo is settled in a cell and the door is properly shut. “I’ve seen you like this before, when I was in the academy. You were on my first case study. Your attitude is much calmer than back then, you were kind of irritated.”

 

“If you tell me who got me to the interrogation room and I’ll tell you why.” Jihyo smiles, much more inviting than with the previous detective.

 

“It was Park Sooyoung that got you in, but you got brought back in because of Ahn Hyejin. You only got angry the second time around.”

 

“Oh, I remember exactly why. Sooyoung, my dearest cousin, was the one that held my prints, and Hyejin was the one that said I was around the crime scene, right? Well, Sooyoung and I have some money arrangements, she had refused to pay me back and I kicked her ass, simple, I know.” 

 

They both laugh, Dahyun knowing very well how hard it was with Park Sooyoung, the girl knew how to tick an officer off, and spared no effort in doing so. She remembers watching the interrogations that went on for hours with the girl talking nonsense about the lavish life she was enjoying. The doctor appeared less guarded about the junior detective, and Dahyun thought of taking that chance to get anything she could out of the woman.

 

“And, what about Ahn Hyejin?”

 

“Hyejin was, I don’t think they are friends anymore, Sooyoung’s partner in parties. I lost count of how many times I had to bail them out, or pay off their debt to avoid limbs being severed. Not that I would object, but I always welcome favors owed to me.”

 

“Oooh, evil.” Detective Kim taunts.

 

“Not that much, if you know how high society works. It’s a wolf eats wolf world, and favors from the right people will get you far. My family is different, to say it nicely, my father was disowned after he lost his leg in the army, some bad grenade accident, I never really heard the whole story, so Sooyoung’s mother took over the succession.”

 

“So you are the spawn of the black sheep that stepped up to throw your success on their faces.” The detective concludes, seemingly wrong, as the doctor shakes her head.

 

“Not at all, I became a doctor to try and ease my father’s injuries. Nothing against the army doctors, but they did do a sloppy job, I refused to acknowledge that the pain he went through all my life was something we just had to accept. So I set out to become the doctor I am today.”

 

“That’s-” Kim cuts herself short for a while. “That is definitely not what I was expecting.”

 

“I know, and I don’t blame you, I do fill in the shoes of the ‘successful doctor who breezes through the high society’ profile. It’s what I want everyone to think. I still have some things to set straight, and I can’t have the rest of my family finding out who I am just yet.”

 

“I thought Sooyoung was directly related to your family? Being your cousin and all?”

 

“She is, but she is not, exactly, trustworthy to them. The spoiled dumb daughter, being brought up to marry another company into theirs. She is much smarter than given credit for, and agrees wholeheartedly with my take on things.”

 

“I see, so it’s the underdog uprising.”

 

“Pretty much. I’m sorry detective, but I really need some shut-eye right now, you can keep probing me for information when I wake up.” 

 

The doctor laughs tiredly when the pale woman gets some hints of pink on her cheeks, looking caught red handed. At some point, there are some hands taking samples of her, but Jihyo doesn’t mind, she is too tired to bother waking up for this, and she had already told the detective to take whatever they needed. Sleep was more important. It felt like minutes, when a stern voice started calling for her to wake up.

 

“Ms Park, I need you to wake up now. Can’t leave you in here anymore.” Is what dr Park, finally, hears when she comes to.

 

“I’m pretty sure I asked to be left here, detective.” The small doctor responds.

 

“I know, but your alibi checks out, and we’ve been stalling to send you home for four hours by now. Just, please, leave.”

 

“Can’t I be here for another six hours? I promise I’ll go home later.” 

 

“It’s already past ten, and I need to get home.”

 

“Alright, dear detective, I’m up.” Jihyo mumbles but gets up. “I’ll let you get back to your lovely daughter.”

 

“What?” There is a growl, low and menacing. “Will you explain yourself? I don’t mind leaving you in there forever.”

 

“Calm down, great detective Minatozaki. It’s much simpler than you think it is.” Jihyo laughs lightly, ignoring the threatening tone.

 

“And now would be the time you explain yourself.”

 

“Im Nayeon.” She answers simply, and the detective looks displeased.

 

“I’m going to need more explanation.”

 

“Im Nayeon tried to maul her left leg off the day after Myoui Mina went to visit her, I’m the best nerve trauma surgeon money can buy, her father, despite everything, still needs his daughter in one piece.” There is a bitter chuckle from both. “He contacted me immediately after she was hospitalized, I did my job, but she is a convict, her file came with her, and I read it all, and added some to the notes. The rest was a matter of research, and Google told me the rest in ten minutes.”

 

“So you will do whatever money buys you to do?” The detective’s voice is dripping with disdain.

 

“That, and I also was the only one who could have kept her walking. At least, she guaranteed her stunts are gone for good.” The doctor remains ignoring the detective’s tone.

 

“What do you mean? Didn’t you just say daddy dearest rushed you in to save that girl?” The confusion is visible on the detective.

 

“Oh, that he did. But I also did say I was able to keep her walking, and I did. But her muscle tissue was beyond damaged, she can walk, but that’s about it. No running, no more carrying anything heavier than a small backpack, she can barely stand for periods longer than a few minutes. I guess that’s a great outcome for someone trying to amputate their leg with a shank made out of a toothbrush.”

 

“I knew that girl had problems, but this was unexpected.” Detective Minatozaki’s anger seems to have dispelled.

 

“Oh, you have no idea. The psych reports have been going downhill ever since she was locked up, freefalling after Myoui Mina’s last visit.” The doctor signals she is ready to leave. “I would need a ride home, though. Is that alright, detective?”

 

“Yes, sure, I’ll take you.” Sana answers absentminded, mulling over what she just discovered.

 

The ride to the doctor’s house is quiet, Jihyo takes the time to nap and get some more sleep on, Sana is just frustrated that this doctor knew too much about her and was clean as a whistle, her alibi was stone solid, there was nothing she could possibly be charged with, not even a parking ticket. She was an outstanding member of society, did a very generous amount of charity, either through work or donations, was a rising prodigy, despite already being at the top, all there was to criticize was her tendency to get into different pants every night, sometimes a few in the same night.

 

As frustrated as the detective was, there was nothing she could do, this small and, frustratingly, attractive doctor was the best suspect they had and, just like last time she was brought in, nothing tied her to the murder, except for her fingerprints that could have been left on the scene at any point during one of the victim’s escapades, it was a known fact the victim had many lovers, the husband too, but he was not dead, and the one lead they had, was dismissed by three very grateful patients and about thirty four hours of surgery footage that couldn’t have been forged.

 

“Here we are, Ms Park. Thank you for your cooperation.” The detective says, parking at the doctor’s front door.

 

“Thank you, detective. Oh, if you haven’t already, it might be a great idea to go for a pic-nic date with detective Kim, you both need some more vitamin D, maybe bring some light salad and low carb meal. I know the job is stressful, but taking some time to yourselves might do your relationship well.” The doctor advises and leaves before Sana has any time to react.

 

The detective simply shakes her head, looking at the woman entering her home, if it’s medical orders, she might just follow this time, perhaps she should just take the step. The reasons not to were running thin, and she had been failing to even convince herself lately.


	11. I'm sorry - 3 MIX

Jeongyeon had enough and came in breaking the door down. Nayeon, who was on the receiving end of the woman’s fury ran into the closet as a last line of defense, she knew she had screwed up bad, she just didn’t want to admit she was wrong, as always.

 

“Nayeon, get out of that closet.” Jeongyeon is seething.

 

“I did, seven years ago, before we started dating!” Comes the muffled scream.

 

“Do you really want me to break the closet your sister gave us? Because you know I will do it.” The younger woman threatens with gritted teeth. “You have ten seconds.”

 

The closet doors fly open, and a very scared Nayeon comes out holding Jihyo’s Jigglypuff doll, Jeongyeon gave her on their first anniversary, like a shield, in an attempt to try and get any word in before she gets beaten.

 

“You don’t have the right to be holding that right now.” Jeongyeon reclaims the doll.

 

“I know, look, I didn’t mean that, it was a spur of the moment mistake.”

 

“IT WAS YOU BEING A BRAT THREE DAYS AGO ON NATIONAL TV!” People say Jihyo is the loudest have never been met with murderous angry Jeongyeon.

 

“It was-”

 

“You go into the maknaes’ room right this instant and apologise. I want to sleep with my girlfriend again and she has been hiding out on Tzuyu’s bed.”

 

“Jeon-”

 

“GO!”

 

Nayeon scurries away before she actually gets her skull bashed in, putting Jihyo’s doll on Jeongyeon’s hands in an attempt to get away unscathered. The entire problem began with a stupid suggestion for the ending fairy on Show Champion, where Jihyo did just as they discussed, but grabbed Jeongyeon to suffer along with, the eldest was having one of those days where she gets needy to the extreme, and threw a fit as soon as they were off the stage. Jihyo, bless her heart, took all the blame upon herself and has been trying to figure out where she went wrong this time, which she didn’t and Jeongyeon had enough with trying to make her see it.

 

“What are you doing here?” A very annoyed Tzuyu answers the door.

 

“I have to talk to her.”

 

“Jeongyeonnie finally snapped?” The youngest raises an eyebrow.

 

“Jeongyeonnie snapped and will break some bones.”

 

“Good, because I will join her if you don’t fix this right now.” The maknae leaves, leaving the room for the other two.

 

Nayeon enters with cautious steps, looking for where Jihyo might be, until she finds a lump in the corner of Tzuyu’s bed, it’s pushed against the wall and the door opens towards it, not very easy to see, and Nayeon gets the feeling Tzuyu might have positioned the bed like that on purpose. Not the time to be thinking about these things, focus on Jihyo.

 

“I’m sorry, please don’t be mad at me anymore.” The older woman throws herself on her knees, already crying. “I didn’t mean to make you sad, I just wanted some attention too, and I went overboard. Please forgive me.”

 

“It’s okay, unnie, I know I was wrong, and you got angry. I’m sorry you have to date someone like me. I’ll-”

 

“Stop right there, it was all my fault. I was being a spoilt brat and took it on you.” She gets up and holds her girlfriend close. “Don’t you ever think you are anything less than the best thing that ever happened to me. This was all me not appreciating all the good in my life and treating you badly because I’m selfish.”

 

“Bu-”

 

“No arguing, you are my baby girl, and I’m very sorry I made you feel like you are any less than the most important person in this universe. Can you, please, allow me to show you just how much I love you?”

 

“Okay.” Jihyo’s voice comes out small and uncertain, and the eldest’s heart breaks a little more.

 

“Good, now come, I’ll give you a bath and we are going to have a nice dinner, and then cuddle until we sleep.”

 

“Jeongyeonnie too?”

 

“Jeongyeonnie too. Come on.”

 

Nayeon pulls Jihyo up and takes her to the bathroom. Jeongyeon had been waiting for them at the hallway and is pulled along so they can get their cuddly night and make their dear baby girl feel better, they were in the middle of promotions, no way a steamy night was in their plans, but holding each other to sleep was a must, it had been too long. Three days without Jihyo and being at the receiving end of Tzuyu and Jeong’s murderous rage was more than enough to get Nayeon to never get out of line again.


	12. Let me sulk - MiSaHyo

Twice had always been an unusual group, in many aspects, really. But, something that had always bothered, not only the fans, but other idols and even their own staff was, nobody could tell who their alphas were, or even if they had any among the group. Everybody behind the scenes knew they were all mated, their scent was clearly marked, but no foreign scent could be identified from the girls, and nobody could pinpoint the alpha among them, or the alphas if there were many.

 

In truth, they had three alphas, each responsible for two omegas, but, apart from the girls themselves, and their own families of course, JYP himself was the only one who retained that information. He had told the girls it was classified, and they really didn’t mind it that much, it was their own business after all. They were questioned about it constantly, though, not only by the press, but by other idols, mcs, just about everybody looking for some gossip or to make the headlines.

 

To the girls, on the other hand, was pretty obvious who the alphas were, and never understood how nobody had caught up with it so far, even on their fourth year in business. Although, if all truths were to be told, it was a very difficult task to pinpoint them, their alphas would only step up to the part when the time came, other than that, they could even pass as betas and everyone would believe it. 

 

The times they would raise to their full potential and take their place only came about on the comfort of their dorm, among the members, none outside their circle to witness just how powerful, how superior these three unsuspected alphas could be, once they were needed. But that was something for them to know, and nobody else.

 

The girls tend to forget they have alphas, even, given how tamed and peaceful they are when not taking care of their respective omegas. At the moment, said alphas are being their passive selves on the couch, watching a movie, teary eyed, and messily eating some junk food, not even minding the girls’ burning glares from the kitchen.

 

“Okay, how is it that those three are our alphas, here?” Nayeon finally blurts out with a frustrated sigh.

 

“Who would you want as an alpha, then? Because they are the very best ones I could have ever asked for.” Dahyun rebutts through a mouthful of pancakes.

 

“I do agree with Hyunnie, they are great.” Sana adds as she comes in.

 

“Don’t misunderstand me, I love them, well, all of you guys. But look at them.”

 

“I know what you are trying to say, unnie. But you know from your own alpha, they are something else when the time comes.” Dahyun runs a comforting hand on Nayeon’s shoulder.

 

“I know, oh how DO I know. But just look at them, they are crying watching Shark Tale!”

 

“I have no idea how you just don’t find them adorable.” Sana says, looking at the three girls starry eyed.

 

“Sana, I love you, but please be quiet. I’m trying to make a point here.”

 

“She trying to rant about our lovelies again?” Jeongyeon asks with a devilish smirk as she enters the kitchen.

 

“You know she is.” Sana replies tiredly.

 

“I’ve got this.”

 

“Thanks, Jeongyeon-ah!” Dahyun answers as she skips to the counter to get more pancakes.

 

Jeongyeon just grabs Nayeon’s arm and drags her out to the living room. The other, just trying to free herself while not really understanding what is happening, she just doesn’t like being dragged around. 

 

“Momo-yah!” Jeongyeon exclaims, coming to a halt beside the couch.

 

“Yes?” The girl answers in a sniff, wiping a stray tear.

 

“Come with us, please?” 

 

Momo just looks between them for a moment, not really understanding, but she would never deny her omegas, no matter what. So she just jumps to her feet, passing the popcorn to her other companions and follows. She knows Jeongyeon would never stop the alphas’ time together without good reason. Also, she just can’t find it in herself to not come to them in time of need.

 

That, and she could smell the desire in Nayeon, and something pretty similar building up within Jeongyeon. So Momo didn’t have to think much about it, she just led them to their bedroom, came out again and took some water bottles, then closed the door behind her, they would only be seen again late that night.

 

Back at the kitchen, Sana and Dahyun were fawning over the two remaining, when Jihyo Joined them, having passed the locked room, she was wearing a very displeased expression, not that any noise could leave any of the rooms, but not that she didn’t know what was happening when the light up the door was on either. Sana was the first to notice and patted the seat beside her.

 

“You know you shouldn’t be that bothered about it, right?” The japanese woman chirps.

 

“I know, but it’s like knowing your parents are at it.” The small leader explains.

 

The other two at the table shiver with the thought, but go back to fawning over the cuties by the couch while Jihyo moves to get some breakfast, the leader just makes some extra and leaves it on the counter for Chaeyoung, who she saw enter the bathroom when the was heading to the kitchen. Sure enough, said girl comes in just as Jihyo sat down the cub comes around, wearing the same disgusted and slightly traumatized expression the leader had.

 

“Oh, come on, you two. It’s not like we don’t do the same.” Sana complains once more.

 

“I don’t want to know when my parents are doing the nasty.” Chaeyoung grumbles. “I know they are bound to do it, but I also know this was all Nayeon’s doing and I’m not here for it.”

 

“See!” Jihyo chimes in. “I’m not the only one thinking it!”

 

“We are trying not to think about it, but you two just HAD to keep bringing it up.” Dahyun gives up and scolds the others.

 

“We would have said nothing if Sana hadn’t tried to scold us for our expressions” Jihyo huffs and gets up to return her plate, appetite lost.

 

“Fine!” Sana huffs and goes to get Jihyo. “I’m making you stop being sour this instant.”

 

The japanese, then, drags the leader to the living room, where the other two alphas are still watching their movie. Chaeyoung was finishing her breakfast, and Dahyun was very much interested in the live drama unfolding before her (she is more of a gossiper than Nayeon, just better at disguising it). 

 

“Micchan, can you come and help us?” Sana coos once they get to the living room.

 

“Can we continue this movie late, TzuTzu?” Mina asks, seeing her mates need her.

 

“Sure, Mina-unnie. I’ll just go and see what Dahyunnie and Chaengie are doing.” The tall girl answers, pausing the movie and getting up to see what her mates are up to.

 

They just watch as Dahyun bear-hugs the youngest, which just looks like a koala trying to hang on to a tree. But the love in all their eyes in undeniable, so the middle-aged group just focuses back on themselves, as they felt like they were intruding the moment the school meal club became complete.

 

“So…” Mina tries to break the awkward atmosphere. “You girls needed me?”

 

“Oh, right. That.” Sana snaps out of her daydream. “HyoHyo is being cranky, and I think we should make her feel better, don’t you?”

 

“We can’t leave our cute, little HyoHyo cranky.” Mina’s mischievous side comes out just like that. “Come on, there is something I want to show you two.”

 

“Ooooh, and where is this thing? I’m sure we will love it!” Sana squeals.

 

“Can the two of you not be idiots for five minutes? I’m trying to be in a bad mood here.” Jihyo tries to keep sulking.

 

The other two just laugh and drag her to their room, Sana is eager as always, but Mina remembers to lock the door and turn on the warning light before tackling a still sulking Jihyo onto Sana, who was already laying on their bed with arms wide open and waiting.


	13. Well, I like it - JiHyun

Jihyo liked Mina, but Mina seemed to like anyone else. 

 

Chaeyoung and Sana loved Jihyo, for that, they hated Mina. Jihyo and Sana were high-school buddies, and loved each other like sisters, Chaeyoung, the little genius, became Sana's roommate when they got to college, it was about a month later that Sana announced they were dating and Chaeyoung just rolled with it. The younger one was weary of the best friends at first, but, soon, she saw why they didn’t even consider dating and shortly after, walking back from class, Jihyo got lost following a cat and she saw what her girlfriend had always seen.

 

They were a great trio, if you saw one, the other two were bound to be around, and the couple were very saddened to see Jihyo, the great soul and innocent heart she was, foolishly hold on to feelings towards the campus slut.  Not even a month into classes, Mina had made a reputation for herself as the campus she-wolf, she was in all the exclusive circles, was invited to all the parties and had made it to more bedrooms than she cared to count. The two very different girls became roommates because the college assigned rooms randomly and one could only apply to change rooms after their first year if there were vacancies.

 

And that’s how the first semester went by, all being overworked, Jihyo being a sweetheart, Sana and Chaeyoung trying to keep her out of trouble and Mina getting into more pants than classes. By the time their summer vacation neared, things had to change, and fast, Jihyo had been spending more and more time on the couple’s sofa, Mina would always have someone over, and last time Jihyo insisted on going in, things didn’t end too well.

 

On that day, Jihyo came back and needed some of the books that were on her table, she knew before she reached the door that her roommate had company, but her grades were too important for her to be stopped. So she went in anyways, there, she found Mina, with someone she didn’t care to know about, ON HER BED, and that brought Jihyo back to many other times where she found her sheets crumpled, with some unidentified spots in them, she had to spend extra to get them washed and that meant a few lunches skipped.

 

Upon seeing it, Jihyo got her books in silence, made herself a sleepover duffle bag and was out the door faster than any of the occupants could register. She came back a few days later, packed everything she could and decided to pay for storage just so she wouldn’t have to deal with Mina again, that was also the day she applied to change rooms as soon as possible. The campus office staff was really understanding, and explained that she couldn’t be moved before the end of the year. So Jihyo made a deal with Chaeyoung and Sana and started living on their couch, a few weeks in their room would be much better than going back to her own.

 

Mina was shocked when she came to her room one day and her roommate was gone, she knew the girl couldn’t have moved, so finding everything the other owned gone was confusing, except the sheets she had last used on the other bed. She smirked and made her way to her desk, goal one accomplished, have a room to herself, it did bring up a pang on her chest but pushed it aside, tonight was a party and she fully intended to go all out.

 

Sana and Chaeyoung’s room was one floor down and on the other side of the building, so Mina’s party could be heard but would not disturb them too much, what would disturb them was Nayeon and Jeongyeon, another couple the three were friends with and roomed next door to Ji- Mina, they knew where to find the second occupant of the room and made their way to try and solve their problem.

 

“Yeonnie, Jeong! Come in.” Sana ushers.

 

“Hey Sana, is Jihyo here?” Nayeon asks, a little too seriously.

 

“Yeah, come on in.” And both do. “Ji, you have visitors.”

 

Jihyo was sitting on one of the study desks with Chaeyoung, doing some of their work. Sana had been working on her things herself, but the two younger ones had some classes together and she shared none with them.

 

“Unnies, why are you looking for me?” The former neighbor asks.

 

“Could you come with us and tell your roommate to stop the bullshit?” Jeongyeon loses her patience.

 

“Alright, what did you two do this time?” Jihyo directs at Sana and Chaeyoung.

 

“No, Ji, your real roommate. Come on, we are trying to get that party stopped and she already slammed the door in our faces.”

 

“I didn’t tell you two, did I?” 

 

Both shake their heads and look confused.

 

“I’m not staying in that room anymore. I’m staying here until I can find another room, we moved my stuff out this morning and they were kind enough to let me stay here until I can officially get reassigned.” Jihyo gestures to her new roommates.

 

“What? Why? How?” Jeongyeon is the one to speak up.

 

“She was on my bed with someone last night. I made the connection to how many times I’ve found my bed trashed and the explanation was clear. So I just got some things for the night and came over, I already went to the office and asked to be moved, Sana helped me to pack up and take my boxes to the storage this morning while Mina was out.”

 

“So you are not going back there?” Nayeon asks, more to herself than to the others.

 

“Not a chance. We are not letting her go back to that room.” Chaeyoung says, draping her arms around the girl.

 

“We aren’t either, not after we know what she does. But, can we sleep here tonight? I doubt we are getting any rest with that damned party happening.” Nayeon asks tiredly.

 

“Sure you can, do you guys have sleeping bags over at your rooms? We don’t have any, and the floor on it’s own isn’t that comfy.” Sana gestures for them to make themselves at home.

 

“I can do one thing, though.” All eyes are on Jihyo now. “I’m still registered to that room, so it’s still officially mine. I’ll go down to the office to make a formal complaint about it.”

 

“Now, that’s great thinking.” Chaeyoung beams. “I’ll go with you and we can get some food on the way back.”

 

“Be careful you two, and here.” Nayeon hands them some money.

 

Jeongyeon and Sana proceed to chip in as well, with that, the two youngest were out. Getting to the elevator, they could hear the loud music and smell the cigarettes, it was a non smoking building, and Jihyo was even more certain she wanted to shut that party down. The complaint was easy, just one form to fill and they were sent off, having one of the residents making the complaint sped things up, so much so, that when they returned with the food, party had already been shut down.

 

The night went off without another hitch, and so the trio had begun their semester together. Jihyo knew couples needed their own space, and tried her very best to give them as much as she could manage, staying late on the library during the week, going home on the weekends, anything she could come up with to express how grateful she was to still have a room to come back to after she was driven out of hers.

 

“You are still around.” A voice she hadn’t heard in a while, Mina.

 

“Do you need anything? The library isn’t a place for casual talk.” Jihyo has an indifferent demeanor and an ice cold voice.

 

“Never thought you would be the type to be cruel.” The other says as she sits down.

 

“I’m not really friendly to those I don’t know. If there is nothing you should be doing, I’ll take my leave. Good day, miss.” The older one leaves before any objection could be made.

 

Mina isn’t about to give up, though, she had been bothered for too long about her roommate leaving without a trace. She pegged it to not being good with rejections.

 

“Wait.” Mina catches up.

 

“It there something else, miss?” Jihyo just wants to leave, she had quickly texted Chaeyoung about the situation while the other hadn’t caught up.

 

“No- I mean, yes. You just left.”

 

“I did. You seemed to need the space, it’s alright, I don’t intend on returning.”

 

“Isn’t that a little unfair?”

 

“To me? Certainly. But things are already settled, and you don’t need to bother.” The cold voice is piercing.

 

Chaeyoung arrives just as Mina makes to take Jihyo’s wrist and reaches them before it happens. She makes sure to hold her friend tight and pulls her backwards a little.

 

“Hey, Ji. Am I late?” The smaller girl asks, giving her friend the ‘play along’ look and pulling in for a peck on the cheek.

 

“Not at all, I was just leaving.”

 

“Hi, I’m sorry, but I have to take this girl back.” 

 

Mina fails to answer, torn between getting angry about this other girl holding Jihyo tight, seemingly not having a reason to feel this way, and being frustrated about the girl she had been searching for since the day she left going away without allowing her to talk. Not managing to react in time, she just stands there until the duo is out of sight and heads off to some party, maybe getting into someone’s pants will help getting Jihyo out of her head.

 

“What was that about?” The smaller on asks as soon as they are out of sight.

 

“You tell me, she just showed up at the library and started acting like we were friends or whatever.” The older responds just as confused.

 

“Well, we are gonna put your avoiding us on a time out, and you are gonna come right back to our room from now own.”

 

“I’m not avoiding you?”

 

“Ji, we aren’t dumb. Sana and I have been wondering why you’ve been avoiding us all this time, she is taking it worse, you know.” Chaeyoung explains as she opens the door.

 

“She is right. I’ve been meaning to ask, but you aren’t here enough for me to do that.” Sana was waiting for them by the door.

 

“Okay, I’m not avoiding you two, sure I haven’t been around, but it’s not because I’m trying to run from you.” Jihyo begins, taking off her coat and shoes and sitting on ‘her’ bed. “I just want to give you two your own space, I’m more than grateful that you took me in, so I’m trying to do something nice and give you time on your own. To do the couple stuff, you know?!”

 

“Wait, so you’ve been keeping yourself out of here to let us date?” The older one tries to understand better.

 

“And it’s because we did what best friends should do and gave you a place to stay when you needed it?” The girlfriend continues.

 

“That would be correct.” 

 

“Aw, Ji, you lovely idiot.” Sana coos and proceeds to smother her friend in a hug.

 

“You are lucky we like you so much.” Chaeyoung pitches in and hugs the other side.

 

“Now I might get a little angry.”

 

“Ji, you don’t have to do all that just because you think we need you to not be here. Chae and I talked about it, and we don’t mind keeping things pg for a while, it’s not you keeping us from each other. And you know that I would totally tell you if I ever needed the room for the night.”

 

“I know, but still-”

 

“Now be quiet, let us love you and we’ll talk more in the morning.” The smallest demands.

 

“Wait, you two aren’t going to the other bed? And I haven’t washed up yet.”

 

“Shhhhh, just accept it.” Sana shuts her up, turns the lights out, as one of the switches is near her, and cuddles closer.

 

And they spend the night just like that, Sana and Jihyo should have remembered that it would be a bad idea in the morning, and there would be a lot of explanation to be done. The problem is, Jihyo had a…. Companion? Downstairs and, being the very much hormone ridden virgin she was, mornings could be a bit of a hassle. Sana had known about it since ever, having fallen on Jihyo shortly after they met, a terrible untied shoelace accident that both promised to bury and let die.

 

Chaeyoung, on the other hand, was very surprised when she woke up and saw something poking her that was, most definitely, not supposed to be there. She panicked a little and managed to wake her girlfriend up without the third one being disturbed. Sana, in turn, just started laughing at her flustered girlfriend, shaking her fiend awake and almost choking on air after a particularly loud snort.

 

“Sana, you do know I don’t have classes at.” Jihyo mumbles and looks at the clock. “Five thirty in the morning? This better be important, or I’m killing you both, and hiding your bodies so good that not even sky daddy can find and taking over this room.”

 

“Oh shush, this is great.” The angry girl is confused. “Just look down. Chaeyoung is freaking out.” And then laughter resumes.

 

Jihyo sees what is happening, taking a pillow and putting it over her lap. Then she turns to Chaeyoung and manages to get the girl to sit down.

 

“I- Wha- How?” Is what they hear.

 

“So, as you just found out, I have this thing down there, and I’m really surprised Sana didn’t tell you. But I promise it’s nothing you should worry about, and I’m just the same Jihyo as always, you just found out another thing about me.” Jihyo says, getting a little antsy.

 

That seems to have worked, and now Sana is the one in trouble….. Or maybe not.

 

“Soooo….. I gots to ask.” The smaller begins, a mischievous smile plays on her lips. “Is it big?”

 

“I’m gonna go and wash up, might as well start the day, as you idiots woke me up.” Jihyo shoots up and races to the bathroom, not even really thinking about what clothes she got on the way.

 

As for her luck, she ends up with sweatpants and a fitted shirt, both leaving little to imagination, and, having slept with her compression shorts on, she is too sore to put them again. Jihyo just argues that it’s just Sana and Chae, they are her friends, there is nothing to worry about.

 

“Alright, how did I not know, or even noticed, any of that going on?” The shortest one asks after Jihyo is back and sitting on Sana’s bed.

 

“Okay, can you, like, not?” Jihyo protests and gets giggles in return. “Also, I’m feeling like a piece of meat here, stop staring, please.”

 

“In my defense, I woke up to it rubbing on me. And I’m really asking how could I not even notice? We live together.”

 

“I wear compression shorts almost all the time, and I also have my ways for when I don’t, meaning when I’m sleeping. On that note, Sana, last night was a dick move-”

 

“It sure was.” Chaeyoung can’t help the comment.

 

“Not now, Chaengie.” Sana says with a loving pat on her girlfriend’s head.

 

“You know I wear the compression shorts all the time and should get them off before sleeping. Today I’m aching and there is class in two hours.” Jihyo finishes, ignoring the couple’s exchange.

 

“I’m sorry, Ji. I really didn’t remember that last night, we were so worried about you that I didn’t think of anything else besides you getting back safely.”

 

“I guess it’s alright. And now that Chaeyoung knows, I can stop wearing them in the room.”

 

“Oh, you should stop wearing them completely.” Said woman quips enthusiastically.

 

“Son Chaeyoung, stop your horny ass right there.” Sana scolds playfully. “But yeah, you should stop wearing them completely. I know how painful they can get for you and how bad they are in summer, which is coming soon and I don’t want you fainting again.”

 

“That was one time and we were hiking with sixty other kids in the middle of a heat wave.”

 

“Still, you fainted and I had to fight our teacher to let me help you cool off and remove those things, they were sweaty and gross, by the way.” 

 

“Thank you for that, but it’s not like I didn’t save you from twisting your ankle an hour before that.”

 

They continue to bicker for a while after that, Chaeyoung is more than amused to learn more about the girls and their adventures. That brings her back to her own childhood friend, who was set to start college there soon. Maybe she would be a good match for Jihyo, they were both lovely and caring, and the older one had proven time and again that she could take good care of them all. It was time to call some favors and get the two together in this campus.

 

“As much as I love seeing you two spout out each other’s dirty secrets, we should head out for breakfast. Jihyo has classes soon.”

 

“Oh, right, thanks Chae. You two are getting ready or can we head out?” Jihyo asks as she goes out to get her bag.

 

“I intend to get some more sleep after breakfast. But, are you sure you are going out like that?” Sana answers while trying to find socks.

 

“What do you mean? Is this not okay?”

 

“We are perfectly fine with it, but you might want to consider changing into some jeans. You are….. A small giant, per se.” The youngest replies.

 

“Oh, right. That. Jeans, yes.” Jihyo fumbles to get another pair of pants, forgetting the very horny midget watching her and changes in front of her roommates.

 

The two older ones had been around each other enough to not even bat an eye to changing clothes, Jihyo firmly believes Sana has been naked around her more than she can count, and the other got too used to the extra appendix to keep minding it. The girlfriend, however, knew Jihyo was hot and adorable, and, if she wasn’t dating her best friend, would definitely try for her, so, seeing that hot ass and protuberant bulge through those sexy black and well fitted boxers left her very hot and very much bothered. The couple would be skipping on more sleep after breakfast.

 

Once Jihyo left for class, Chaeyoung was quick to push her girlfriend against the door and begin her activities, which lasted about an hour, the time they had to spare before attending to their own schedules. Nayeon caught up to them once they reached Sana’s building, Chae’s classes were half an hour later than her girlfriend’s so why not take her to class. 

 

“Spill.” Was the first thing out of the eldest mouth.

 

“Good morning to you too, Nayeon. We are great, thanks for asking, how about you?” Sana is a little frustrated.

 

“Look, I don’t care about what you two did it this morning. I want to know what’s up with Jihyo and that friend of hers downstairs.”

 

“Do I get worried that you know about our sex life or that you just admitted to be eyeing my best friend?” 

 

“Chaeyoung is smiling like a fool and you have fresh hickeys. I know it wasn’t last night because Jihyo went back earlier, Jeong was at the library and saw everything. Also, Jeong is like that too, I think I just got used to noticing it.”

 

“Oh.” Sana is stunned.

 

“And how do you know we weren’t having fun with Jihyo last night?” Chaeyoung challenges.

 

“Oh, please. She is too cute for any of you to have the guts to even suggest something like that. Now, why is she free today and why haven’t you told us?” 

 

“I-” Chaeyoung begins.

 

“I was the only one who knew, and Ji prefers to not tell people unless they ask.” Sana cuts in. “And you didn’t notice because she prefers to wear compression shorts. We kind of cuddled her to sleep last night, so she didn’t remove them, now she can’t wear them again until tomorrow, unless she wants to lose circulation on some important parts.”

 

“oh…. OH! That explains a lot. I’m gonna come by later with Jeong, I think my idiot could talk her into not wearing those torture instruments anymore.”

 

“Thanks Yeonnie. Right now we should head to class, come on. Make sure to drag Jihyo to lunch.” Sana says the last part looking at her girlfriend, kisses her goodbye and drags, quite literally, their eldest friend to class.

 

Turns out, Sana was very spot on when she said to drag Jihyo over, Chaeyoung almost lost her when classes ended but managed to get the girl before she disappeared in the crowd. They talked, Jeongyeon threatened telling Mina where Jihyo was staying if she didn’t stay in her room and wait for them after classes, and overall, it was a pleasant meal.

 

“I’m sitting in front of the door and we are on the third floor, how do you plan on getting out, exactly?” Sana asks, not even bothering looking up from her phone.

 

After the lunch ultimatum, Jihyo had been panicking. She never really liked talking about, well, that, to anyone, or at all for the matter, but Chaeyoung never let her out of sight and Sana was waiting for them when classes were dismissed. Ever since they got to their room, the couple has been taking turns sitting in front of the door, and this was her sixth attempt at escaping. The duo got bored and Chae had already messaged the other two to hurry up or they were letting Jihyo loose.

 

“Open up, we’re here.” Comes Nayeon’s voice from outside.

 

“Good, you are all still alive. With Chaengie’s call I thought you lovebirds would have killed this one by now.” Jeongyeon mocks, gesturing to Jihyo at the end. 

 

“Ihaveaquestion!” Jihyo blurts out, but they could understand.

 

“No.” Sana answers curtly. “She is trying to talk her way out of this.” The fed up girl adds, seeing the confused looks.

 

“Okay, so no.” Jeongyeon begins, making herself comfortable. “Why don’t you begin by telling us why you never said anything?”

 

“Nobody asked. And I can’t just come out and say ‘oh, guys, I happen to have a dick’, can I?!” Jihyo gets flustered.

 

“Sure you can! Hey guys, I have a dick.” Jeong says, annoyed.

 

“To be fair, you are way more confident about yourself than my girl here.” Sana, then, proceeds to side-hug her friend in distress.

 

“Still, it’s not that big of a deal, not even that rare. You don’t have to restrain yourself like this. Tell you what, just trust me and you’ll see it’s not that bad.” The older one proposes.

 

“What are you suggesting?” Chaeyoung gets interested.

 

“I’m saying, let’s set that little birdie free. Get you some good underwear, make sure they don’t hurt and some more comfortable pants. Don’t look at me like that, I have eyes and your lower body fashion isn’t the best for people like us.” 

 

At that, Nayeon and Sana are already choking from laughter, Chaeyoung got slightly embarrassed, maybe remembering the sight that graced her in the morning. Jeongyeon, although trying to make things lighter, is very serious about it, her and Nayeon had housed Jihyo enough times to have developed a motherly love for the girl they often found sleeping just outside the door of her own room. Both would get her into their own room and make sure she was warm and fed for the night, that’s how their dislike for the Myoui Mina, campus heartthrob came to be.

 

“Do I have any say in this?” Jihyo have already given up.

 

“No. But it will be good. Now, there is one thing I’m very curious about.” Nayeon managed between laughter. “Is it big?”

 

“Oh, you have no idea.” Chaeyoung is the one to answer. “She switched pants in front of us this morning and, boy, was I not expecting that.”

 

“Don’t worry, Ji. The midget (“Hey!”) won’t do anything about it, she just gets worked up like that for almost anything that breathes.” Sana comforts the distressed girl.

 

“I do not!” Midget gets angry.

 

“Honey, I saw you try to fuck a tree last week when you got drunk.” Jihyo is the one reporting.

 

“You promised to not tell.”

 

“You told about my privates, I say we are even.” The slightly taller midget isn’t phased.

 

“Fine, but remember I still have last month against you.”

 

“Alrighty, then. Hyo, we are going shopping this weekend, and I’m confiscating all those torture instruments you use, god knows why.” Jeongyeon cuts in the argument before both start spilling any more secrets. “But, Chae, a tree?”

 

“I was drunk and she was a very attractive lady.” Now she is sulking.

 

“Why am I dating this again?” Sana questions, gesturing to Chaeyoung from her place beside Jihyo.

 

“That’s what we all want to know. I mean, Jihyo is right there, single and ready to mingle.” Nayeon taunts.

 

“If anyone in this relationship is going for Jihyo, that’s me.” Chaeyoung rebutts.

 

“Well, Sana and I do have history, and she is already seen all my faces, I don’t think we would be a bad match at all. But Chae is interesting, and I really want to see how many breathing things she can manage to try and have her way with by graduation.” Jihyo ponders.

 

“I really want to know about these stories you two have together, but I’m really afraid I won’t look at Chaengie the same way again.” Sana wonders out loud.

 

“Just listen to me on this one, let it rest in peace. I’ll take care of Chae, but don’t try and witness these things, it’s better that I’m the only one going through them.” Jihyo’s voice gets serious and her expression slightly frightened.

 

“Speaking of which, my best friend is coming to our college next year.” Midget tries to divert the topic.

 

“Oh, that’s new. You never told me Dubs got in.” Sana chirps.

 

“She told me, what, three days ago. I told her I already have a roommate for her.”

 

“Dubs?” Nayeon doesn’t hold back her curiosity.

 

“Yeah, she is as white as tofu and just as fluffy. It just seemed fitting, and Yoda was the one to come up with it.”

 

“Yoda?” Jeongyeon is the one to ask this time.

 

“Our other friend. I met Yoda when we were thirteen, and we met Dubs when we got to our first year of highschool.”

 

“But I thought you skipped like two years?” The eldest is still trying to understand.

 

“Yeah, so did Yoda. Dubs only skipped one, though.”

 

“These damn geniuses…” Jeongyeon mutters to herself.

 

“So, you got two friends coming?” Jihyo quips.

 

“No, Yoda is on another college, the one Dubs is attending right now.”

 

“Oh, and why is she changing?” Taller midget continues.

 

“She said our labs are much better here, and that a passionate doctor to be, like herself, she must go after the best. Yoda is in vet school, and the internship options for her college are better, so she doesn’t plan on changing. And her girlfriend is over there too.”

 

“That’s smart. So we’ll have a transferee soon?! I hope I get to room with her.” Jihyo wishes.

 

“We hope too, she is really nice.” Sana adds.

 

Then they go on to Chaeyoung talking about her friends, Jihyo knew about them and Sana knew them personally, they made plans to have a party for the, still, mysterious Dubs once the girl gets settled. As promised, Jeongyeon was knocking at their door at eight the next saturday, Nayeon tagging along because she wanted to be there for pictures of Jihyo on cute clothes she was definitely putting the girl on, and the weird couple (everyone was surprised they were actually ready on time) demanded to be taken as well, as they were feeling left out and Nayeon was going too.

 

That was how Jihyo got some comfortable pants, some fancy underwear Jeongyeon swore felt like heaven (they did), and Nayeon had acquired about 6gb of Jihyo in whatever cute clothing herself and the weird couple managed to find, from a Jigglypuff onesie, to a schoolgirl sailor outfit, to a kid’s tux (the ones with shorts, not long pants), to, and this was Sana’s favorite, a grey shirt and loose flannel pants. Chaeyoung just enjoyed the fashion show and kept coming up with ‘flattering’ pants, and maybe an excuse for tops just to say she chose a full outfit.

 

What none of them predicted, was to one specific abandoned (ex?)roommate to notice the change and get interested. Mina saw Jihyo wearing sweatpants the following monday, and she was very much interested. At the sight, there was that unexplainable feeling tightening her chest, she just walked faster and tried to not think about it too much. That is, until she got to class and started being questioned about the rumors.

 

“Hey, Myoui, we have something to ask you.” Irene, one of Mina’s ‘friends’.

 

“What is it, Bae? I’m kind of busy.” She knew exactly what the other wanted.

 

“That midget Park girl is your roommate, right?” 

 

“Like you aren’t shorter.” Mina snorts. “And no, she isn’t. Moved out shortly after the semester began. Guess finding me having fun on her bed did it.”

 

“Then I have no use for you.” Irene makes to leave.

 

“Maybe we could figure out a use for me on my very much solo room.” Mina smirks.

 

“Maybe we could. But now I’m more interested in that Park girl.”

 

“I’ve been hearing some buzz about her today, what happened anyways?”

 

“Seems like she stopped hiding and girlie is loaded.”

 

“You mean…?” Mina’s eyes flicker down and back up.

 

“That’s what I mean. Pity you never really knew before she left, huh.” Irene jabs and, finally, walks away.

 

Mina is frustrated, and that feeling is back. She sure would need a good distraction tonight, so she messages Bam-Bam, he always knows every party that happens on campus, and who attended each one, and tonight was a night for prime company. So, off she went to get ready and try to spot the girl who was making her feel this frustrated. They only had a few more weeks of classes, and then Jihyo would be gone for good, she had to deal with that before the time came.

 

It so happened that Jihyo was very good at avoiding her former roommate, Mina had almost given up, it was her last day of classes, Jihyo’s had finished two days prior, not that she checked, and how was she supposed to find the girl. Well, her target seemed to not have left yet, when her last test was over and she saw the girl standing near her classroom. To her dismay, two other girls surrounded her and she was gone before Mina had a chance to do anything, this will have to wait for the new school year to begin.

 

The reason Jihyo didn’t leave when her classes ended was Nayeon, who demanded she came with her for the first week on her family’s beach house. Nothing scandalous, but it was nice enough, and Sana and Chae were coming too, but would get the smaller girl’s friends first, then head out. Jeongyeon was driving, and had already got Jihyo’s bags on her car the night before, so the girl was left to loiter around her room until the couple was finished with their finals. 

 

“Look at her, Jeong, she looks so cute with her kid shorts and little sailor shirt.” Nayeon squeals as soon as her eyes land on the younger one.

 

“You were the one who picked it out…… Literally!” Jeongyeon has had enough of this already.

 

“Stop being grumpy and look at our daughter.” 

 

“Just go with it? I want to get moving, I was promised some great food and haven’t eaten since lunch, which was just a salad.” Jihyo begs, looking at Jeongyeon.

 

“Fine. Yes, Nayeonie, our daughter looks the cutest.” The older girl gives in, also wanting to get moving.

 

“It could do with a little more enthusiasm, but I’ll take it. Just because our baby is hawngwy.” 

 

“Please never do that again.” Jeong pleads to her girlfriend. “Let’s go, we still have an hour and a half of road ahead of us. And the weirdos have already left, Chae sent a message about half an hour ago.”

 

The trio gets moving, then, with a very much not eavesdropping Mina lurking around. The ride to Nayeon’s beach house was stormy, for lack of a better word, Jeongyeon was made to drive, and Nayeon sat on the back cuddling a very uncomfortable Jihyo, and forgetting to guide her girlfriend who had the incredible ability to get lost going around the block. They got there in about forty minutes, and a lot of fighting from the couple, later.

 

“Oh my, she is adorable!” Is what Jihyo hears before being enveloped in a very tight hug.

 

“Momo, let the girl breathe and introduce yourself first. Hello, I’m Dahyun, Chaeyoung’s best friend.” A very cute and rather worried girl introduces herself.

 

“Hello, I’m Jeongyeon, that other idiot trying to fight Momo is Nayeon, my girlfriend and their helpless victim is Jihyo.”

 

“Nice to meet you all? Should we stop them?”

 

“Nah, just help me get the bags in and just leave them, they will work it out by themselves.” Jeongyeon dismisses lightheartedly.

 

“Alright. Should we, at least, save their victim?” Dahyun is still worried.

 

“Jihyo knows how to get out unscathered, don’t worry too much.”

 

And so, the duo gets the bags to the house, Jihyo joined them shortly after, also introducing herself to Dahyun and the other new girl, Tzuyu, both Chaeyoung’s best friends. Sana had vanished somewhere, claiming she wanted to explore the backyard that ended on the beach, a little ways from the residence. Chaeyoung had explained she placed a gps tracker on the girl, so it was okay to let her roam around.

 

The tall one, Tzuyu, was very aloof, despite her stoic looks, Jihyo noticed, Chaeyoung looked and seemed to be just a big baby, having been pouting for the last ten minutes because Momo took her strawberries. Dahyun was trying to not be too amused and get her friend to apologise, reminding her their small friend would continue to pout and sulk for the rest of the trip if she didn’t. 

 

The group was having a good time getting to know each other when a disheveled Sana popped back in, with a huge grin on her face and bloody knees. Chaeyoung and Jihyo just sighed and proceeded to guide the girl to sit down so they could tend to the wounds. Momo, Nayeon and Jeongyeon were a little shaken by their friend’s appearance, combined with the naturality the other four were facing the situation with.

 

“Sana is very clumsy, it’s normal for her to show up like that whenever we let her go outdoors.” Dahyun explained, an amused expression playing with her features.

 

“What?” Momo broke away from her trance.

 

“Sana is an accident magnet, I’m sure Jihyo and Chaeng are more used to it, living with her and all. But we’ve seen her hurt herself with nothing, more than enough times to not worry about some little scratches.” Tzuyu is the one to further explain.

 

“Those are considered scratches?” Nayeon is doubtful, but still weirdly impressed.

 

“Oh, trust us, they are. As long as we don’t have to run to the hospital with her, we are good.” Dahyun answers in a yawn, pulling Momo to sit with her on the sofa.

 

“And running with her to the hospital is something that happens often?” Jeongyeon ponders, more to herself than to the others.

 

“More than you might think. It’s alright, though, last time she had just sprained her ankle, I was the one with a broken finger, having tried to save her. WHICH I DID, just for the record.” Jihyo lets out a small huff, settling on the couch.

 

The others just sit back down as well, Tzuyu having sat down right next to Jihyo, and was making small talk when Chaeyoung brings Sana back to the living room. After tending to the wounds, Jihyo had told the smaller one to take her girlfriend to the bathroom and help her wash up, Sana had managed to fall into a bush that was sitting over some mud and needed to be washed immediately. It was Chae’s turn, so the couple was sent away. Jihyo and Chaeyoung had come up with a system to take care of Sana, they would treat her together, and take turns helping her around after.

 

Jihyo had taken care of her friend on the last accident, which gave her the broken finger, but she still managed her end of the deal. It was Chaeyoung’s turn for this injury. Some might ask if the younger one ever got jealous about another woman touching her girlfriend, or seeing her naked, but, whenever it came to Jihyo, none of the couple could feel jealous of each other about her. It was just one of those things where they both knew that, if ever, something came up, Jihyo would be the first one to speak up and try to take all the blame, so them both were certain there was no need to ever feel threatened by such a lovely and pure soul.

 

“Okay, guys?” Sana chirped as soon as Chaeyoung settled her down. “I saw there is going to be a beach party the day after tomorrow. Anybody up for it?”

 

“Sana, my dear squirrel, you just messed yourself up. How are you thinking of partying?” Momo was honestly concerned.

 

“I’m fine! And it’s two days from now!” Said girl protests.

 

“Chae, please talk some sense into your girlfriend.” Jeongyeon pleads.

 

“She will be fine. So, who is up for it?” Is the answer they get.

 

There were another series of protests from the inexperienced ones, Tzuyu had managed to maintain Jihyo’s attention, she had been told about Jihyo, the weird couple sold their friend to her really well, and now she had seen they were downplaying it by a lot. The small woman had her completely entranced, she was funny, understanding, honestly lovely and adorably naive at times. Tzuyu also didn’t fail to notice the very well crafted body she was sporting, but was a little dejected by the ridiculous sailor outfit that was forced upon her (the tall one would have a talk with Nayeon later).

 

Everyone noticed the cute little reactions Jihyo was having, except from Momo and Dahyun, they all knew Jihyo never really was the center of anyone's attention, maybe they had a big part of it, but their little friend was always the one listening and giving everyone attention. It warmed their hearts to see her so happy being paid attention to, and talking animatedly about whatever it was Tzuyu had asked her about. They all also noted how the youngest’s eyes were fond and awestruck while listening. If Tzuyu liked someone that fast, the person must be, indeed, great. So they made a silent understanding that it was time to get Dahyun into Jihyo’s pants, everyone knew the other way around would never happen.

 

Next morning came, and the entire group, except clueless and trusting Jihyo (bless her heart), Tzuyu was happy to have help, began their mission to get the single pair together and make it a couple’s retreat before the beach party. Truly, they had two weeks to accomplish their objective, but after Sana and Chaeyoung told them everything about Jihyo (who was left to sleep through their morning meeting, as was Dahyun), they were more than willing to get the girl a girl, and the weird couple also vouched for their bestfriend.

 

“We should wake her up.” Nayeon mentions, noticing it was about nine a.m.

 

“You mind, Tzuyu?” Jeongyeon suggests.

 

“I’ll go.” Tzuyu agreed, already standing up. “Better take any chance I can get to advertise my little mochi.”

 

“Tzu, wait. I don’t think it’s a good ide-” Chaeyoung tries to stop her. “a.” 

 

“What’s the problem, Chae?” Jeongyeon asks a little confused.

 

“I thought you would be the first one to understand.” Chaeyoung looks at her friend, her eyes flicker down and back up.

 

“Wha-” Jeongyeon stops and her eyes get huge. “Crap, I forgot about that!”

 

“Yeah, and now she already went. Asshole move, Jeong.” Sana reprimands.

 

“Can you fill me in, maybe?” Momo gets curious.

 

“Well, Jihyo, much like myself, has a- uhm…”

 

“Penis.” The smallest one deadpans. “Jihyo has a penis. But she is a virgin, and her hormones get the better of her in the mornings, so there is always morning wood.”

 

“Yeah, but she is always so private about this I forget it’s even there. And being seen like that by a girl that you are not very familiar with is not something very nice. Now I feel bad for not remembering.” Jeongyeon looks defeated.

 

“Really, asshole move, Jeong. I, myself, still feel uncomfortable when it happens and Tzu sees it.” Momo chimes in.

 

“I know. But now is too late. I’ll just try and do better. After Jihyo has properly woken up, I’ll apologise.”

 

“You better. You know how our baby is about her body. She only stoped using her compression shorts this year, and now you sent a girl she doesn’t really know to see her.” Nayeon scolds.

 

“For all it’s worth, I think Tzu will be pleased to know.” Momo tries.

 

“Oh, trust me, she will be thrilled to learn about it.” Chaeyoung teases.

 

“That gifted, huh?!” The peach smirks.

 

“Biggest I’ve ever seen. Well, sorta, more like felt.” 

 

“Now you HAVE to tell.” 

 

“Chae and I hugged Jihyo to sleep one day, after Mina, her ex roommate, had cornered her, and I forgot that Ji needed to remove her compression shorts before sleeping, so we didn’t let her go. Next morning, we woke up with her stirring, and her front was turned to this horny midget here, so she felt it.” Sana explains before her girlfriend tries to overplay things.

 

“Why do you have to kill my vibe like this?”

 

“Because I know you will try to make it more than it was. Now, let’s just hope Jihyo won’t shut herself out again.”

 

They all agree and just wait out for whatever would come from the encounter in the bedroom, and hope that their small giant didn’t freak out too much from it. While all of that was happening  the living room, Tzuyu had made her way to the room the two sleeping ones were sharing, she found the sight adorable and decided to take a picture before proceeding. 

 

Jihyo felt someone trying to wake her up, she just mumbled and tried to turn around to keep sleeping, but this person wasn't letting her. She, then, remembered where she was and who she was sharing room with, sitting up on the bed and holding a pillow on her lap like her life depended on it, maybe it did. Tzuyu just let out a chuckle at the girl's panic. 

 

“We are all up. Nayeon said to come and wake you up, they want to go to the beach.” The younger informed, choosing to not comment anything else at the moment. 

 

“Oh, did I oversleep?” 

 

“Don't worry, it's not even nine yet. We just happened to wake up earlier. Go get changed, we are waiting for you to eat breakfast and start heading out.” 

 

“Sure. Can you, like, turn around for a little bit? Just so I can get up?”

 

“Is there a problem? Do you need help with anything?” Tzuyu had already seen it. 

 

The youngest just thought how cute it was that Jihyo remained so reserved. She saw when she woke her up, the other girl had been sleeping on her back, and it was not subtle at all, not that it was a problem or would get her freaked out, quite the contrary, really. But she gathered that she couldn't just joke it off like she did with Momo, and Jihyo had proven their friends right, she deserves someone who could love her at her own pace, but that was for Dahyun to handle later. 

 

“N-no, nothing is wrong. I would just feel more comfortable if you could turn around for a little bit.” Comes the shy answer. 

 

“Tell you what, I'll head back to the kitchen and wait for you there with the others. Just remember to wake Hyunnie up before you get down.” 

 

“That would be great, thank you, Tzu. I'm sorry for asking you to leave like this.” 

 

“Hey, don't worry. I don't mind. Just try not to take too long, Nayeonnie might come after you herself.“

 

“Oh, I just need a few minutes. Be right there.”

 

All Jihyo gets is a chuckle from the retreating girl, Tzuyu smiles to herself all the way back, getting teasing grins from her best friends, a knowing look from Sana and laughter from the others. 

 

“Did she freak out too much?” Sana asks, very concerned about her best friend. 

 

“I didn't mention it. She was so worried about covering herself that I thought it was best to not say anything.”

 

“Thank you, Tzu.” Sana says in all honesty. 

 

“Not a problem. I saw how nervous she got about it, it's nothing to be ashamed about, really.” 

 

“It's just her parents were never really happy that she was born like that. Different from Jeong and Momo, she grew up being told to hide it.” Sana lets out a frustrated huff. “I was the first person she confessed about it, and that was because I fell on her and she couldn't stop apologising for having it.”

 

“It's alright, I'll just try to talk to her later, when she's more comfortable. We are sharing a house, it's bound to happen.”

 

“Thank you.” Is all the older one says before going back to the table. 

 

Just in time too, as soon as Sana sits down, Jihyo rounds the corner, still in her pajamas, but Tzuyu noticed she had put on her compression shorts and was slightly disappointed with it. Not that she was a pervert like Chaeyoung, but the thought Jihyo still didn't feel comfortable with herself to show her true colors was a bit heartbreaking. 

 

They made quick work of the breakfast, seeing the beach was just a few meters from the house, they decided some towels and some parasols were enough, they could just go back to the house if they needed anything else. The group was off to change, Jihyo insisted Dahyun used the room, so she just got her things and left for the common bathroom. The youngest swayed a little more at how considerate the older was being all the time, ever since their first meeting the day prior. 

 

When they regrouped, everyone's swimsuits was appraised by, well, everyone. Much to general disappointment, especially Nayeon’s, who chose the cute outfits that were discarded, and Chaeyoung, Dahyun and Tzuyu, who just wanted to gawk at the girl, Jihyo showed up wearing some baggy shorts that left all to imagination and a rashguard. 

 

“Are you, at least wearing the swimsuit we bought together? You know it's bad to go to the beach in other things, and compressions shorts are a big no no.” Jeongyeon, worried, came up and whispered to Jihyo. 

 

“I'm wearing them. Don't worry, even I know I can't wear those with sand around. But I don't want to be without my baggy shorts right now.” Comes the hushed reply. 

 

Nodding in understanding, Jeongyeon goes back to the chatting while they finish gathering everything. Heading out, they found some nice shade by the palm trees and decided to set camp there, still putting up the parasols and Jihyo making sure everyone had put enough sunscreen, everyone had, but they just felt like letting her put some more on them just because. Dahyun expertly snatched the bottle from her, demanding Jihyo would take off her rashguard and let her do the same, everyone else just pretended not to notice, until Jihyo complied and removed it, revealing a red bikini top that hugged her body just the right way.

 

That ended up with Chaeyoung having to be restrained, Tzuyu having a nosebleed, Momo stopped working, Jeongyeon feeling proud and happy the bathing suit she chose was the one Jihyo was using and Nayeon took the time to rethink her life choices. Sana was just busy trying to stop her girlfriend from pouncing her best friend, and she had been with Jihyo long enough for this kind of fashion choice to not affect her, after seeing Jihyo in tighty whities, naked, boxers, you name it, almost nothing phased her anymore.

 

“Done, now wait a little for the sunscreen to be absorbed properly.” Dahyun recommends, capping the bottle and handing it back.

 

“I don’t think I’ll put it back on, it’s too hot, and I don’t intend to go swimming anyways.” Jihyo answers with a smile. “It feels nice here in the shade, I don’t really like the feeling of seawater after it dries anyways. It feels sticky.”

 

“I get what you are saying. Guess I’m settling up here, then.”

 

“What? No, go have fun, no need to worry about me.”

 

“I have a lot of fun with you. Relax, I’m fine staying here, I can take the time to get to know you a bit better too.”

 

“If-if You say so.” The smaller woman blushes and keeps mumbling something.

 

Dahyun just watches, amused, and begins to make conversation, their friends had already moved to the beach and are entering the ocean to have their fun, meaning trying to throw the beach ball to one another and failing miserably. Soon enough, Sana drags Tzuyu over to the shade and traps her there demanding that the girl stops being stubborn and get out of the sun, Momo was too busy swimming around to remember her troublesome girlfriend. 

 

“Now be a good girl and stay in the shade for mommy.” Is what they hear before a very red Tzuyu is placed beside them.

 

“Sana, I told you to stop with your weird mommy kink. Save it for Chaeyoung and your own bedroom walls.”

 

“She doesn’t have a mommy kink.” Jihyo says, as if it’s common knowledge.

 

“What?”

“Eh?!” 

 

The two younger interject at the same time, Sana just giggles and places herself on Jihyo’s lap, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Dahyun frowns a little, but remembers a conversation she had with Chaeyoung, when the weird couple just got together, about how the two were closer than sisters, but never thought about each other in a romantic way, which seems to calm her down a little. 

 

“Sana doesn’t have a mommy kink, she just really thinks of us as her daughters.” The smaller girl further explains.

 

“I don’t know where people get the idea I have one.” Sana looks honestly confused.

 

“Given how affectionate and, uhm….. Unusual you are, people might get ideas.” Dahyun tries to explain.

 

“I’m only affectionate towards the people close to me, though?”

 

“Sana, sweetie, other people don’t know you like we know you. Seeing you show that much affection to all of us makes rumors spread. I love it, though, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. And you are also not weird, you and Chaengie are just your true selves without restrictions, and we all love you both for that.” Jihyo soothes her friend, nuzzling further into her neck.

 

Dahyun swallows a small lump on her throat, reminding herself these two were like that, and if she was really interested in Jihyo, she would have to learn how to cope with this close relationship they had. That’s when she made the decision to talk to Chaeyoung about it, and ask how the cub learned to deal with this. 

 

“That is very true, Ji. And don’t mind the rumors, they are just people who don’t know us and think they caught a glimpse of our private lives, when they didn’t.” Tzuyu assures the older woman. “And can I go back to the sea and play now?”

 

“That you can’t TzuTzu, the sun is already too hot, and you are going to be complaining of the sunburn tonight as it is. I don’t want Mo crawling into my bed and complaining you can’t cuddle her again.” Sana scolds.

 

“That was like, one time.” The tall girl tries to defend herself.

 

“It was three times, the other two I had locked my door and she couldn’t come in!” Sana is really annoyed now.

 

“Yeah, those times she came to MY bed and demanded I cuddled her until morning because ‘TzuTzu couldn’t and Sacchan was a meanie and sent her away’.” Dahyun complains, imitating Momo at the last part.

 

“Fine.” Tzuyu huffs but settles down anyways.

 

“So, what were you two doing before we came?” Sana chirps up.

 

“Nothing much, we were just talking. Getting to know each other a bit better.” Dahyun says shyly.

 

“Hyun is really interesting. And funny.” Jihyo encourages.

 

“Ji, you don’t have to be nice. We all know Hyunnie’s jokes are almost on Jeong and Chae’s level.” Tzuyu seems to be done sulking.

 

“I like it, though? Being honest, the effort is cute.” 

 

“Aw, Ji. You are so cute I might just eat you all up.” Sana squeals.

 

“I’ll pass. Last time you said that I ended up being bitten.”

 

“That was an accident, I was sleepy and thought it was a fresh bun.” The taller one defends.

 

“Do we want to know what she bit?” Tzuyu sounds doubtful.

 

“We obviously do.” Dahyun urges.

 

Jihyo mumbles something, Sana is a little purplish (red was a few shades ago) and trying to flee, which doesn’t work because she made the mistake to be sitting on Jihyo’s lap and her traitor friend is using her as a shield. Dahyun seems to have understood something, and is now laughing her ass off, Tzuyu looks to have understood as well, and is sporting a very bright shade of red. That’s the moment the group decides to come back, and takes a lot of interest in whatever is happening.

 

“What is going on?” Chaeyoung is the one to ask, sitting beside Jihyo.

 

“Jihyo said Sana bit her.” Dahyun manages.

 

“It happened a couple of times. I bit Jihyo before too. But why are you all laughing like that?” The smallest one is still confused.

 

By then, everyone was settled down in the shade, drinking some refreshments and waiting for some explanation. Sana whispers something to her girlfriend, who starts laughing as well.

 

“Okay, could any of you explain, please?” Nayeon gets impatient.

 

“Okay, so, Sacchan is hard to wake up in the mornings. There was this day when we went to bed hungry because we were both too lazy to make something.” Chaeyoung controls herself and starts telling what happened. “So, Jihyo was in the bathroom getting dressed and Sana had crawled there, thinking it was the kitchen. This woman has bad eyesight. So, she saw Jihyo’s behind and thought it was fresh bun, in her sleepy daze, she just sunk her teeth in and started nibbling away. I never heard Jihyo scream so loud, we got scolded by the dorm perfect and avoided being punished once she heard what happened.”

 

Everyone erupts in a fit of laughter, the parties involved are ashamed enough to turn around and try to make themselves invisible. 

 

“Wait, hold up. That means Jihyo has…” Nayeon ponders.

 

“A perfect round and tanned ass? She does. Let me tell you, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Chaeng confirms.

 

“Can we stop talking about my behind?” 

 

“We can if you show it. I mean, I’m sure everyone is very curious now.” Jeongyeon offers.

 

“Keep talking.” Jihyo cuts the suggestion off and makes her point by strongly sitting down.

 

“Aw, come on, Ji. We are just going to gawk at it from now on if you keep trying to hide it.” Momo negotiates.

 

“How about you just take off your baggy shorts? We did go buy you the perfect swimsuit afterall.” Jeongyeon proposes.

 

“But it’s too revealing.” The woman in question gets shy again.

 

“It’s not. The lady helped us find one that fits you perfectly.” The older one insists.

 

“Hold up, you two went shopping without me?” Nayeon is offended.

 

“Yeonnie, we love you, but everyone knows you would never allow Jihyo to choose what she liked best. Plus, it’s something you wouldn’t understand, our need for a well fitted swimsuit.” Jeong soothes her girlfriend, embracing her.

 

“Jeong is right, you know? It’s really bad whenever we get uncomfortable clothes or underwear.” Momo chimes in.

 

“I’ll let you all off because that top is already really good, and I want to see the rest.” Nayeon concedes.

 

“ButIdon’twanttoshowitoff.” Jihyo mumbles.

 

“Ji, hey, look at me.” Sana says softly, holding her friend’s face fondly. “There is nothing you need to be ashamed or afraid about. We are all here for you.” 

 

“Nobody is going to think bad of you if you decide to show yourself more.” Chaeyoung says, reaching around Sana to take one of her cheeks in her hand.

 

“I just-” 

 

“We know, Ji, but you know you can trust us. We’ll have your back no matter what.” Nayeon is the one to try this time.

 

“Promise you won’t be mean?” The small woman sounds like a frightened child.

 

“We could never even consider it. We all love you too much.” Jeongyeon asures.

 

“okay…..” Comes in a small voice.

 

“Okay?” Nayeon confirms.

 

Jihyo just nods and turns around, taking off her baggy shorts. Under them, there is a pair of shorts, reaching her mid-thighs, matching the top, and emphasising the heavenly chiseled legs the woman was hiding. Her butt, that was a work of art itself, round, firm and enticing. The girls had figured Jihyo had a great figure, given her love for the gym and rigorous diet, but seeing it right in front of them like that was an experience they would never forget. 

 

Sana and Chaeyoung were already used to it, after the compression short accident Jihyo had talked to the couple and revealed she was trying to be respectful to the younger one, as Sana had been her best friend long enough for those reservations to not matter at all. The couple assured her it was alright and there was no need for her to hide herself from them, and Jihyo had been more free, walking around on more comfortable clothing. 

 

The others were all turned on by the sight on varying levels. Tzuyu and Dahyun being the obviously most affected. Nayeon was the one who managed to get herself together first and speak up. Jihyo was still with her back to them, mind you. 

 

“Okay, I must say I can't blame Sana for the mistake.” 

 

“Thank you! You see how I got confused?! And everyone knows it takes me a while to start functioning in the morning.” Sana chirps from her girlfriend's lap. 

 

“It's not all that.” Jihyo says, feeling shy, as she turns around. 

 

There is another shock wave, her thigh muscles are more clear from the front, and her gifts are on a red display (the swimsuit) that seems to hold them just right, under some rock solid eleven abs. Nayeon made a mental note to reward Jeongyeon that evening. Momo may or may not have drooled a little. While we they are trying to understand how to function again, Jihyo sits back down and gets a warm hug from her two best friends (Chaeyoung got the title not long after she started dating Sana). 

 

“I'm kind of hungry, a little.” Is what Jihyo says when she is released from the hug. 

 

“Should we go back in and start making lunch?” Surprisingly, Tzuyu was the one to speak up this time. 

 

“I don't want to burden everyone. And it can wait a bit longer, they just sat down to rest a little.” 

 

“I think after all this, we should get some good food and a lot of water for these thirsty ladies.” Chaeng provokes and makes to get up. 

 

As the weird couple and the not-yet-couple start fixing their stuff to leave, everyone else moves to help. All (minus the weird couple and Jeongyeon) stealing glances from Jihyo in her red bathing suit and sculpted body, earning glares and whispered death promises from Dahyun if they didn’t stop looking. Getting back was way faster, everyone was hungry by now, and looking at Jihyo walking in front of them was not something they were willing to pass up.

 

“Are we cooking, ordering or going out?” Momo asks as soon as they arrive.

 

“I don’t mind cooking, but is there anything to cook with?” Jihyo ponders.

 

“There should be, but how about we check it out?” Nayeon suggests.

 

Just as Nayeon had guessed, there were some ingredients, Jihyo settled for some army stew with ham and bacon, rice and a salad. It should be enough to make for a pleasant meal. Not trusting her best friends, Sana and Chaeyoung had been banned from even looking to the kitchen’s general direction, Nayeon was out too, not because she was a physical hazard like the other two, but because Jeongyeon wanted to live longer and her food was biological hazard.

 

Momo and Tzuyu had claimed doing the dishes, not wanting to really be part of the making process. And Jeongyeon was making sure her girlfriend wouldn’t try to sneak into the kitchen and meddle with the food besides the warnings not to. So, it came down to Jihyo and Dahyun to handle the meal, the taller woman said she would shower last, so she told Dahyun to follow and they went ahead to start making everything. Not that they didn’t have enough showers, but there was a chance to blow a fuse if everyone went in at the same time, and nobody knew how to fix it, so Nayeon asked them to just have two showers on at a time.

 

As everyone was very interested, they sat at the dining table, watching the two cook together and taking turns going to shower. Tzuyu and Sana were the first ones, coming back in exceptional ten minutes, shooing Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung to switch turns. It was entertaining and endearing, Jihyo was a good cook, Sana had revealed, and Dahyun managed to keep up, despite not being that great herself. They moved quite well around each other, like they were used to doing this, really, it was just two very considerate women trying to help each other make food for their friends.

 

“We just have to let it boil for a while and it’s done.” Jihyo says as she puts the last ingredients into the stew. “Do you want to go and shower first?”

 

“You can go first, I don’t mind.” The pale one replies.

 

The other girls had given up watching them a while ago, saying it got boring as they were good cooks and nothing was happening, they were really just cooking. So, the two were left to their own devices and were, now, just waiting on the stew.

 

“But you should be feeling bothered by not having showered this whole time.”

 

“You haven’t either.”

 

“But I can wait.”

 

“And so can I.” Dahyun tries a pout, that seems to have worked but not as she hoped.

 

“How about this, you can use the shower in our room and I’ll use the one on Sana’s room.”

 

“Fine. But just because I don’t want to keep you waiting.”

 

And off they go. Jihyo sent Dahyun out first, and made a quick stop on the living room to tell her friends of their plans and ask Jeongyeon to keep an eye on the stew, for safety.

 

“Hey Ji, are you guys done?” Jeongyeon asks, being the first to notice the new arrival.

 

“Almost, could you keep an eye on the stew? Everything else is done, so Hyun and I are going to shower.”

 

“Uuuuhhh, bold.” Sana’s voice comes from somewhere behind the couch.

 

“Sure.” Jihyo says, unenthusiastically. “I’ll use your shower, by the way. I told Hyun to use the one in our room and I don’t want to take too long to come back.”

 

“Don’t worry too much, just take a relaxing shower, I’ll take care of the stew. I just have to stir it in a few minutes and turn it off when it’s ready, right?!” Jeong isn’t really asking, but gets a nod anyways.

 

“Thanks, Jeongie. I’m off, then.”

 

Obviously, none of them were planning to just let the duo simply shower in peace. Dahyun had already gone in when Jihyo got to their room to get her things, and then she was off to shower herself. A lot more thinking should have gone into the process, but Jihyo was a trusting woman, and never thought locking any doors would be needed, that’s how Chaeyoung managed to get into the bathroom and get her pants and underwear. The compression shorts wouldn’t be seen again, but the shorter one took the other items back to her friend’s room and placed them neatly on the bed, taking the time to check if there were more compression shorts she had to get rid of. 

 

Dahyun had come out while there was someone rummaging Jihyo’s bag, she thought it was the girl at first, but a blonde head told her who it was.

 

“Are you sure you should be doing that?” She asks in mockery.

 

“Trust me when I say this, you are gonna thank me later.”

 

“And why is that?”

 

“I’m making Jihyo’s compression shorts disappear. She doesn’t need them, and neither Jeong nor Momo have any to lend her. And we want her to be more confident with her own body.”

 

“That’s fair. She put them on the dresser over there.” Dahyun gives up the location. “Second to last drawer. I caught a glimpse of them yesterday, and must say, they look painful.”

 

“They are. But she says she doesn’t want us to be uncomfortable, so she wears them.” A sad smile play on the smaller woman’s lips.

 

“And what are those pants and underwear doing on her bed?” The older one tries to divert the subject.

 

“Oh, that. I kind of sneaked into the bathroom and got them from her. She should be coming back wearing just a towel to check if they are here any minute now. Which brings me to, I should leave already.”

 

“Oh, thanks, then. Be careful not to get caught.” Dahyun ushers her friend out.

 

Chaeyoung just smiles playfully and bolts out of the room, Dahyun does her best to make herself look freshly out of the shower, making sure to look busy with whatever when Jihyo got there. Which happened not long after the encounter.

 

“Oh, Dahyunnie, you are already done.” Jihyo flushes red when she enters the room.

 

“Yeah, just got out. What happened?” The woman is having a really hard time hiding her smile.

 

“I think I forgot my pan- Oh, here they are. I was sure I took them with me.” 

 

“Maybe you thought about it but never really did take them.” The smile was in full view now.

 

“Looks like it. I’ll be right back. Sorry about, well, this.” Jihyo looks down at the last part, meaning the towel.

 

“Nothing to apologise for, I’m enjoying the view.” Dahyun answers, noting the slight rise on the towel.

 

“Ri-right, I’ll, uhm. I’ll be back soon.” And she flees to the bathroom, visibly embarrassed.

 

There is a chuckle from the taller one, she found it very cute how conservative and caring for her wellbeing Jihyo was. There was no way to not be swayed when a gorgeous woman is that caring, respectful and considerate to you, and she would be lying if she said the visuals weren’t appealing. Sure they officially just met, but, considering how much Sana and Chaeyoung had talked about their friend, Dahyun felt she knew her for years already, and every little thing Jihyo did only drew her further in. Sure, she had her work cut out for her, but, the more she got to know the woman, the more she wanted to be around her.

 

“Are you done? Should we head down for lunch?” Jihyo says, coming out of the bathroom.

 

“Sure thing, let’s get back down before Momo eats everything.”

 

“Oh, she would have to battle Jeongyeon for that. But I prefer to get my share as soon as I can.”

 

“I want to get my share too. I like bread very much, you know?!” Dahyun says suggestively, patting Jihyo’s butt as she walks out.

 

Getting back to the living room was another challenge, Jihyo knew she was incredibly flushed, and took her sweet time trying to not look like she just got her ass patted by a very pretty lady who she was getting interested in.

 

"Took you both long enough." Nayeon exclaims as they get back to the others. 

 

"The stew isn't ready yet, don't listen to her." Jeongyeon reprimands from the doorway to the kitchen. 

 

"What happened? I'm sure it should have been done by now." Jihyo wonders, honestly worried. 

 

"I turned down the heat so we would wait for you two. Don't worry too much." The taller one replies and heads back in. 

 

The rest of the vacation goes by just like that, Jihyo getting teased, her endless kindness having her take it all, and Dahyun making her moves, which were working like a charm, by the way. They all knew Jihyo would never start a romance with someone she just met two weeks prior, but she had taken a liking to the pale woman and they were already very close and comfortable with each other. 

 

Before the next semester began, Tzuyu and Nayeon had called a few favors and Dahyun and Jihyo were confirmed to be roommates, as far as possible from Mina and, "surprisingly", two doors down from Sana and Chaeyoung, who were now neighbours with the elderly couple (don't tell Nayeon they are called that). How did Tzuyu have connections on a college she didn't even go to? Ask her, I don't know. 

 

It was two days before classes started, all students were back on campus by then, and Dahyun decided it was time to make her relationship with Jihyo more solid, and that's how we have a very nervous tofu waiting for her roommate to come back, with flowers and an attempt at a dinner. She was too nervous to be able to produce an elaborate meal so pasta and wine would have to do the trick. 

 

"Hyunnie, hey. Are you going to meet someone?" Jihyo asks when she sees the flowers. 

 

"N-n-no. No, these are for you." she answers, mentally slapping herself for stuttering. 

 

"Thanks, you are very sweet. But what's the occasion?" 

 

"Jihyo, these past weeks have been the best of my life, because I got to spend them with you. And I would like to know, would you marry me?" She blurts out, not noticing the slip up and jumping a few steps. 

 

"I would like that, but maybe we should date first?" The older asks in a chuckle. 

 

"I can work with that. But what do I do with this ring?" Dahyun gets slightly embarrassed, holding out a simple, yet very charming ring. 

 

"I can hold onto that if it was meant for me." Jihyo lightens the mood, holding out her hand. 

 

Dahyun takes whatever she gets, and places the ring on Jihyo's finger, taking her hand and kissing it after. Jihyo has a loving smile, that gets the other soaring in happiness, and Dahyun's eyes drip honey when looking at her wife-to-be. Sure, they (Dahyun) might have skipped a few steps but this was so fitting for them that neither minded. 

 

"I really want to kiss you right now." Dahyun whispers. 

 

"I really want to kiss you too. But I've never done this and I think I might not be any good." Jihyo flushes. 

 

"You are as great as you could be." Is what the younger manages to say before pressing their lips together. 

 

Their first kiss is everything Dahyun have ever wanted it to be, and much more than Jihyo could have ever imagined. Clumsy, uncoordinated and hungry, but neither would ever change it. They are brought out of their dream with their door bursting open and four of their idiots bursting in, Nayeon demanding to know what was happening, while Jeongyeon was trying to get her to stop screaming at least, Chaeyoung was hoping to witness some steamy action and Sana was there for the gossip. 

 

"Dahyun proposed, I said yes and now we are about to eat dinner because I'm tired of having to deal with the rooms paperwork all day long." Jihyo answers in rapid fire as she pushes everyone out. "Now leave so I can kiss my girlfriend a bit more."

 

With that the door is closed again, this time the chain is put in place so they can be sure to have some privacy. Dahyun swears she heard something about Sana demanding to be paid up, but it wasn't that important at the moment. They do proceed to have dinner after another brief kiss, and talk about how they wanted to take things, Dahyun said she was willing to go about everything on Jihyo's time, asuring it wasn't a problem to wait for when she felt ready. 

 

Jihyo was very happy, until the next morning came and she was mobbed by the other couples, demanding answers and raging about how Sana won whatever. She just told them the truth, and they all couldn't help but coo a little at how cute Dahyun was, which made said girl slightly angry, until she got a peck from her girlfriend and then got teased (she will take the teasing everyday if it meant Jihyo will kiss her). 

 

A few weeks into classes, Dahyun was studying in the library and Mina and Irene had their attention on her. She was a pretty girl they had never seen before, not a freshman, as they didn’t see her at orientation, and seemed to be very friendly. Jihyo had been running late, her professor wanted to discuss the next project or something like that. The two she-wolves took the girl being alone as an invitation to strike, and so they did.

 

“Hello, miss. I’m not sure I’ve seen you before.” Mina begins, taking a seat beside Dahyun.

 

“I’m sure a beautiful lady like yourself wouldn’t escape my gaze.” Irene continues, taking a seat on the other side.

 

“I’m sure you two are mistaking me for someone else. I’ll take my leave now.” The pale woman gathered her things and slipped away.

 

The duo wasn’t ready to give up their chase, though, it wasn’t something they should be going after at all as their prey was already engaged, though Jihyo had asked for them to call themselves girlfriends until she was ready for the next title, despite their wedding having already been scheduled by Dahyun and her mother, who made an uncanny alliance to make the union happen. Regardless, it was a comic scene for anyone observing, the two greatest school heartthrobs after a pale woman, power walking through the hallways, Dahyun was a sucker for obeying the rules and wasn’t about to get caught running where she shouldn’t.

 

“Would you two, please, stop following me?!” Dahyun demanded, seeing she wasn’t being left alone.

 

“We can’t do that now, can we?” Irene asks Mina.

 

“No, we cannot.” The other answers. “You see, we are both very interested in you, and would like to take you out so we could get to know each other better.”

 

“Right….” Dahyun draws out the word. “Not interested.” And walks away again.

 

“Now, that’s just not nice.” The penguin teases.

 

“And nobody likes girls who aren’t nice-” The bunny gets cut off.

 

“Well, I like it. And I would like it very much if you two would leave my fiancè alone, it’s not nice to keep insisting like this when you have already been turned down.” Jihyo says, popping up beside her girl, pulling her close protectively.

 

One thing nobody really knew, not even Jihyo herself, was that she was extremely territorial and very protective of her partner, ergo, whenever Dahyun was found uncomfortable by anything, the older would spring into action and do whatever she had to do so her girl was okay again. In this case, it meant standing up to Mina and Irene so they could leave the girl be. Hence, there she stood, in all her sexy glory, with those tight jeans and that leather jacket, hoping she could bluff her way out without getting her ass kicked.

 

“Park?” Mina is surprised, to say the least. “That’s what I call a glow up. Feel more than welcome to join the party.”

 

“No, thanks. I’ve the kind of party you enjoy happening more than enough times on my bed.” Jihyo scoffs. “I’m going to take my future wife away from you two, and I’m sure you can find some interesting toys to play with. Don’t let me see you bothering her ever again. Say bye, love.”

 

“Bye love.” Dahyun chuckles, letting herself be dragged away by her woman.

 

Needless to say, the IT duo was left there, wondering how they could have slept on such a catch, Mina dying that much more inside, and finally admitting to herself that the one love she had in her life slipped through her fingers because of her own stupidity. Irene was very turned on, and snapped out of it soon enough, dragging Mina with her so they could ‘comfort’ each other more privately.


	14. I just wanna go home

“Alright, everyone, step out for a while.” Nayeon commanded and the property was emptied. “Kim, follow behind her and mark anything she points out, we’ll come back in and catalog it later.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.” The junior scurried off to get more scene markers. 

 

“You know, I could have come in later.” Jihyo tries to argue, but she knew it wouldn’t be the same if she did.

 

“And you know you couldn’t. Now, stop being stubborn and work your magic, Ji.” The older woman pats her friend on the shoulder lovingly.

 

Jihyo just sighs and steps into the house to do her job. Nayeon, bless her heart, had been looking after her friend since police academy, she pushed for the younger one to be handpicked to join the homicide department, she knew Jihyo had a talent to see what normal eyes missed, and after talking to her about that one case she had been stuck in for two weeks, and having the girl point out things that were right under her nose the entire time, she knew she needed those eyes in her team, even if that meant giving up on that promotion so her boss could refer his nephew instead.

 

Nayeon had always been the perfect older sister, not that Jihyo didn’t have a family, she did, but said family was dysfunctional and her parents were extremely toxic. If half of what Chaeyoung had told her was true (she believed each and every word, regardless) it was impossible for someone with such past to be the most beautiful soul she had ever come across. Sure, she married the girl’s best friend, but Chaeyoung loved Jihyo just as much as she did, maybe even more, they just happened to fall for each other and ended up together.

 

Looking back into the house, there was Jihyo, still in the entryway, pointing out details nobody in her team had noticed. The junior she sent, smart girl named Jennie Kim, was, yet again, another attempt at getting someone that could love her friend the way she couldn’t, hell, the way nobody seemed to be able to. Kim had expressed interest in Jihyo, it was a conversation Nayeon had eavesdropped once she heard her friend’s name, so she took the junior into her team when the case was handed to her. 

 

The problem was, Jihyo couldn’t be a fixture in her team anymore, a mere two years after she had been fished into the murder department, she had been promoted to detective and started handling her own cases, she never failed to consult for Nayeon, but she couldn’t do much more than that. It was great, obviously, but the younger woman has been drowning herself in work ever since she left the academy. It worried her friends, they did manage to take her out every now and then, but they knew she did it to avoid the loneliness in her life. At the end of the day, Jihyo was always the one to go home alone to an empty apartment afterall.

 

Don’t be mistaken, Jihyo had friends, quite a few of them, almost two handfuls of close friends, the one who had the code to her apartment and knew her entire life story, and was very well liked by about anyone she met, she had a natural talent for interacting with people. It didn’t change the fact that she never had been in a relationship before, never had anything more than one-night-stands, never had anyone care for her above friendship, never felt important to anyone, never had been allowed the opportunity to show anyone who she really was. It was a lonely life, not one she had chosen for herself, but one that seemed to be destined for her from the moment she was born.

 

Looking at her friend, Nayeon always felt a little pang in her heart, the woman was such a beautiful soul, had a big and loving heart, was caring and attentive to those she cared for, but never got anyone to love her with a passion. It broke her heart every time she would see Jihyo talk about getting a date, only to meet her the following day and hear it didn’t work out, and Nayeon would see a smile on her lips and sadness in her eyes, that grew with each failed attempt. 

 

Thinking about her friend, the older detective had been lost in her thoughts too long, it seemed, for, when she came back to, Jihyo was walking towards her with Kim following right behind. Nayeon smiled warmly at her friend, she was hopeful this could be it for her, if the way Jennie was looking at Jihyo was anything to go by. She ordered her team back inside, telling them to catalog all the new evidence, then she told Jennie to take her friend back to the station, hoping the junior would take the chance to ask the woman out.

 

Jihyo didn’t have a problem grabbing dinner with Jennie, the young woman was smart and had a lot to say, she was also interesting and quick witted, which made her presence really pleasing. She didn’t mind going out for dinner, at least she would get a dinner out of it, she hoped. But, this dinner would most likely head the same direction all other dinners went. Not that Jihyo really hoped for anything anymore, it still stung, though.

 

“Park-sunbae, let’s go?” Jennie called, she had gone to retrieve her belongings and change out of her work clothes.

 

“You don’t have to be so formal out o the job, I’m just a couple of months older you know.” Jihyo eased the girl. She had changed herself, but the years of experience made her quicker on the task.

 

“Well, then. Let’s get some food, Jihyo-unnie.” The woman teased.

 

“Please, I’m really hungry.” 

 

They make their way to that one italian restaurant a few blocks away from the station, all the cops loved it, but it got expensive if they would go there more than once a week, even with the detective salary, it was a bit on the expensive side. They do sit down and start having a good conversation, Jennie learns the older woman was shy and reserved, always dodged questions about her family and would get a mysterious look in her eyes when asked about her love life. Jihyo doesn’t learn much more about the younger one, Jennie had talked all afternoon while they were walking the crime scene, there wasn’t much more to tell, really.

 

It was going well enough, until the table behind Jihyo gets occupied and she sees how Jennie cuts her off right then and there. It wasn’t the first time it happened, and at least she had a glass of wine in front of her, but it’s never something she really wanted to keep experiencing. At least she wasn’t stood up this time, with that thought, Jihyo fights the feelings that were trying to burst out, schools her face and downs her almost full glass of wine. She has seen the way Jennie’s interest in her stopped existing as soon as the girl behind her sat down, so she might as well just call it a night, at least they hadn’t ordered yet.

 

“You should go and talk to her.”

 

“What?” Jennie snaps back to her companion.

 

“The cute girl behind me. You should go talk to her.”

 

“N-no I-i.” The junior stammers. “I invited you for dinner.” 

 

“Don’t worry, we haven’t even ordered yet. Just go over there and talk to her.” Jihyo smiles, and it’s the saddest smile the other woman had ever seen in her life. “When the chance for happiness walks in front of you like this, you should never miss the chance.”

 

Jennie swallows dryly, she felt her heart being squeezed, the older woman was right, she was paying more attention to another girl and not the one  _ she _ asked out on a date. To say she felt shitty was an understatement, and the smile Jihyo had given her felt like a baseball bat to the gut. But there was no point trying to salvage this, she was interested in someone else, and there was nothing she could say to fight the point that was just made, so she remained silent.

 

“Thanks for the wine. And try to live happily, Jennie Kim. Also, follow Nayeon and you’ll breeze through this case, she might look sloppy, but I promise she will help you learn a lot.” Jihyo gets up and takes her coat, but she adds just one last thing before she leaves. “You should keep calling me sunbae from now on, though.”

 

With that, Jihyo leaves. She was just too used to these things happening to say she had any hopes for this dinner. It’s not that she didn’t accept things as they were, she just never understood why they were like that. Was she just too greedy and being punished for it, or was she just one of those people destined to go through life never making any deeper connection with anyone. Whatever the case, Jihyo made her way to her bus stop, plugged in her earphones and tried her best not to break down before she got home.

 

The night went by faster than she hoped, and Jihyo found herself boing her best to not look like she had another meltdown the previous evening so she could go to work. If Nayeon so much as suspected she had another bad date, not only the junior would be out of the investigation, but she would also be banished from ever doing anything important and would never get to be a real detective. How was Jihyo so sure? There was another junior, a few years before, who took her out to a pub, left her at the bar and was found having sex in the bathroom with a guy she had met at the pub. Nayeon only didn’t murder the girl because she saw a single tear run down Jihyo’s cheek, panicked and immediately moved to take her friend home and pamper her the rest of the weekend.

 

Suffice to say, Jihyo didn’t really want to end anyone’s career, but she knew her friend would freak out, tell Chaeyoung, who would, in turn, call upon their group and they would all go in a witch hunt against Jennie Kim, who just happened to not be so interested in Jihyo afterall. So, she made herself simply look like she had a bad night’s sleep, it was a common occurrence and less likely to be questioned. The walk into the station wasn’t an easy one, though, she got a few pity looks, probably from the people who saw her leaving the day before. It was known through the ones who had been there for a while that the detective had no luck in dates, and they had seen her look miserable long enough to understand what had happened.

 

“Morning, Hyo.” The receptionist greets, once the detective approaches. “Chief wants you in her room as soon as you arrive.”

 

“Thanks Jinyoung.” She smiles, trying to be friendly, but ends up looking more miserable. “I’ll see what she wants. Can’t be good if it’s this early in the morning.”

 

She doesn’t change her path, though, making her way to her locker and changing into her uniform. Detectives didn’t need to wear them, but Jihyo preferred, claiming that it was a way for her to not wear out her clothes when she had a perfectly good uniform she could wear, sometimes it was the sports uniform, other times she would mix both, but she never failed to wear the uniform. As she was meeting chief Myoui, she might as well wear the standard uniform properly.

 

“Come in.” Jihyo hears on her second knock.

 

“Morning, chief.” The detective greets. “I was told you were looking for me?”

 

“And yet, you left me hanging to go put on your uniform.” 

 

“We should keep a good image when we are out there representing the force, chief.”

 

“How long are you going to keep the formalities for?”

 

“We are at work, chief Myoui, I should keep professional, no?!”

 

“Ji, we’ve met in highschool, you have seen me butt naked more times than I like to admit-”

 

“I really wish eye-bleaching was a thing.”

 

“Not the point. I’m trying to tell you we are friends, and you should treat me as a friend, doesn’t matter that I’m the new chief.”

 

“I know, Minnie.” The detective relents and gets a smile in return. “Are you going to keep reminding me how much you disapprove of my preference to wear the uniform or was there something important?”

 

“You had another bad date.” Mina catches on quickly. Out of all her closest friends, she was the most observant, along with Tzuyu, guess couples are similar afterall. “Shit, Ji. Just stay at your desk for the day an-”

 

“I’m alright, Minnie. And I’d rather not stay in today.”

 

“It’s one of ours, got it.” The chief really did see too much. “Alright, then this will make your day better. I’m heading down to Busan, we got a lead in one of your cases, the Lee Taejoon case, looks like they have something for us down there.”

 

“We leave immediately, or do I get to pack?”

 

“Go home and pack for the week, I’ll pick you up at ten.”

 

“Does Tzu know about this already?” Jihyo knew Mina’s wife got really grumpy whenever the chief would be out on a case.

 

“I just got the call this morning. But I’m not staying the week, I’ll be back this evening, you can call me down whenever you need me, though.” Mina explains, trying to not worsen the condition her friend is in.

 

“Alright, I’ll get two uniforms in my locker and head home.” Jihyo just huffs and gets up. “Oh, can you get me two more sports uniforms? Mine are already giving up on me, and The girls don’t want to give me new ones, saying I should just drop them altogether.”

 

“I’ll bring them over when I pick you up. Thanks Ji.”

 

“No problem.” Jihyo begins to leave, but stops by the door when she remembers. “Oh, and get me some food, will you?” With that, she leaves.

 

Mina just watches on sadly, their group knew how it wrecked Jihyo each time she was rejected. There was nothing she could really do to make things better, Tzuyu was one of those dates and Mina was another girl who stole from her. Jihyo and Tzuyu met when the, then, police officer was rolled into the ER with a knife would in her left forearm, Tzuyu was the nurse responsible for her, and they talked a lot, the taller woman took an interest, asking the officer out when she was discharged. Mina was Jihyo’s orientator back then, and showed up to pick up her kid, that’s when she walked in on the nurse talking animatedly to officer Park, Tzuyu got interested in Mina but went on the date anyways.

 

Once they sat down at the restaurant, Jihyo didn’t order anything having already noticed the nurse’s interest had shifted. So the officer just said she had gone to break things off and handed over Mina’s number, Tzuyu, like many others, felt like a knife had plunged into her gut, but also couldn’t deny that Jihyo was right. The officer just went home and called in sick the next four days, Mina got a call that same evening from Tzuyu, who pleaded she gave Jihyo as long as she asked for, explaining what happened and saying she wanted to talk when things were alright.

 

Maybe that’s why Chaeyoung and Tzuyu bonded so quickly, same happening with Mina and Nayeon, they came about the woman’s life through similar paths. All of them came about either of the two ways, they had been interested in Jihyo or they were the one that took the first kind. The worst case would be Momo and Sana, Jihyo did what she always does, and told Momo she should go and be with the other, then went home and had a meltdown, came back a few days later and pretended nothing happened. 

 

Momo was Jihyo’s classmate in college (they graduated with a bachelors in law before Jihyo went to the academy) and Sana was studying in the same campus, it would be their third date, when Jihyo went to pick Momo up and saw both girls talking, she saw the shift and just walked away, sending her not-anymore-date a text calling things off, walked to a convenience store to stock up on soju and snacks and proceeded to lock herself up in her dorm room for three days.

 

“Yes?” Mina can hear the frown in her wife’s voice.

 

“Tzu, I have to head down to Busan today. I’ll be back late.”

 

“I thought being the chief got you excused from having to travel?” It was true, Mina didn’t  _ have _ to go, she  _ wanted  _ to go.

 

“They asked for Jihyo.” It was all the explanation needed.

 

“Drive carefully, get her some greasy seafood when you get there and make sure she is taking her pills.” Tzuyu fires rapidly.

 

“Calm down, love. I told her to go home and pack, and I’m getting her something for breakfast. Looks like she had another one yesterday.” She didn’t need to specify what.

 

“Shit. Look, just be certain she is taking mer pills, we can’t have her having panic attacks all the way over in Busan without anyone to take care of her.”

 

“Tzu, I love you, but we all know she doesn’t tell us every time she has them. And she has been looking worse lately too.” Mina sighs in frustration.

 

“I’ll see if I can find out anything with her therapist. You make sure she’s taking someone along, doesn’t matter who, just place someone you can trust there with her and make sure they keep an eye on her.”

 

“I’ll ask Nayeon. Don’t worry, babe.”

 

“I’ll never not worry, neither will you. But I get what you are trying to say. See you later, then.”

 

“Love you, bye.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

And the call is over. Mina immediately calls Nayeon in, she saw the woman arrive while she was talking to Tzuyu. Their group was always protective of Jihyo, they carried the pain of making her more lonely each time one of them left with another. It was an unspoken agreement that they would all do anything and everything they could for the woman. When the detective arrives, the chief gestures her to close the door and take a seat.

 

“What’s up, Micchan?” 

 

“Well, Busan asked for Jihyo, I’m taking her there in a few hours but Tzu demanded I place someone with her.”

 

“Tzu worries too much, but it’s not like we all don’t do that too.” Nayeon says, dejected. “I’m taking you want me to point someone out?”

 

“Well, she did have a breakdown yesterday.” Mina starts, continuing fast when she sees the detective is about to start talking. “No, she didn’t tell me, I just had to look at her. So, whoever you had in mind, I’d say pick someone else.”

 

“That kid is out of my team right now, by the way.” Nayeon seethes. “I’ll send you the forms later, and you better not question them. But I’ll see about who we are sending with her.”

 

“No, it can’t be you. I want to go myself as much as you do, but we both are stuck here for the time being.” The chief shuts down the proposal before it even happens. “Handpick a junior to send with her and make sure they know how to be discreet about watching her while they are there.”

 

“Fine.” The detective aggres through gritted teeth. “I’ll send someone already unavailable, just in case. So don’t agree if a married junior comes to you asking to be let off the task, we both know it can’t be someone who is free to pursue her then drop everything before it even begins.”

 

“That’s all I can ask of you. Now just send me a name so I can brief them on the mission.” Mina dismisses her friend. “Oh, and Nay? I want the papers on the girl who broke our girl’s heart on my table by the end of the day.”

 

“You’ll get them in an hour. Thank you chief.” And Nayeon is off.

 

Jihyo was a practical woman, first and foremost, her packing consisted of her uniforms, a few tracksuits, that one good pair of jeans she had and some shirts, among other personal items. She found herself holding the standard issued bag with room to spare once she was done. So, she decided to text Mina and tell her she was waiting and headed to her building lounge, the elevator always took too long whenever she was in a rush to leave, and it was a chance to talk to the doorman. A nice man, everyone called Mr Chen, he wasn’t that old, but his face started showing his age already, except, today Mr Chen wasn’t the one greeting Jihyo once she reached the front desk.

 

How did she miss it having already been out of the building that day? She went to work riding her bike, it was cheaper than public transport and faster too, those extra twenty minutes of sleep each morning made a real difference. Jihyo makes a slight adjustment to her plans and proceeds to talk to the young man that had been replacing her friend. The man was muscular, slick black hair combed back, friendly enough face but not so comfortable vibe, maybe it was needed for the security job. Nonetheless, he was in her building and Jihyo wasn’t about to leave her apartment unattended with someone she had never seen before just a few floors below.

 

“Good morning.” She greets politely.

 

“Morning officer. Is there a problem?” Right, she was still in her uniform.

 

“Oh, I live here. Sure do hope there is no problem.” Jihyo jokes lightly. “I’m Park Jihyo, from 401.”

 

“Oh, Chen told me about you. I’m Chris, the new day security.”

 

“Chen got fired?” Now,  _ that _ was an unpleasant surprise.

 

“Nah, he busted his knee over the weekend and decided to just retire already. Something about needing an operation and not wanting to do desk work after.” The young man chuckles.

 

“Oh, I’ll have to pay him a visit when I get back.” She says, mostly to herself. “Speaking of which, I’ll be gone for the week, there might be one or two packages arriving, could you receive them for me?”

 

“Sure thing, ma’am.” Right then, Jihyo’s phone buzzes, it’s probably Mina.

 

“Looks like I should get going.” She excuses herself, checking her phone. “Have a nice week, Chris. And good luck with ms Lee, if you see a humpback and a bleached head, pretend you are just decoration and hope for the best.”

 

“Noted. Go get the bad guys, ma’am.” They both laugh at that and Jihyo leaves.

 

Remembering her problematic neighbour had her hungrier than she already was. Ms Lee was the nastier kind of poisonous, Jihyo had to threaten arresting her once because the woman was causing a ruckus in front of the garage entrance and she needed to be at a crime scene twenty minutes before (she had just got the call, but she was always late in her opinion). Jihyo just remembers the anger guiding her to blindly charge at the woman, whip out her badge and seethe through gritted teeth that she would be under arrest for obstruction of justice if she didn’t move that instant. Ever since then, the woman made sure her hateful comments would never fail to reach Jihyo’s ears.

 

BUT! Right now she was going to Busan to look at some files, crime scenes and dead bodies, I know what you might be thinking, but it really was a few steps up from having to run into her neighbour, may the odds be ever in Chris’ favor. And there was Mina, standing beside a kid Jihyo had never seen before, but he was definitely a cop, if his body language was anything to go by, maybe that would be her travel companion. She knew she wasn’t being sent alone, but really hoped she would and made a point to never mention it before she left the station, looks like the chief didn’t forget.

 

“Park, this is Choi, he’s your shadow down there.” Mina introduces in her chief persona, Jihyo gets it, she couldn’t let herself go on the job, in front of other people. 

 

Jihyo puts her bag in the trunk, shoving the uniforms Mi- chief Myoui just handed her inside and turns around to introduce herself to the kid.

 

“Hello, I’m Park Jihyo. Looks like we’ll be stuck in Busan together for the week.”

 

“Choi Youngjae. It’s an honor, sunbae. I’m very excited for this trip.”

 

“Glad to hear. I hope you’ll keep that energy until we are back.” The senior officer gestures them inside the car, she takes the backseat, intending on going over the files and updating her new partner along the way. 

 

“Alright, kids, we have four hours ahead and we are going over this case entirely before we get there.” Mina declares, turning the car on and starting to leave.

 

“First things first.” Jihyo interjects, starting to eat her breakfast. “Choi, give us everything you have on this case, start from the beginning and guide us through everything you know.”

 

And so the young man does, he did know about the case, but it was all too general to be of any use. So, Jihyo goes through it all, then they start reviewing the file they got from Busan and then Mina starts a round of speculations, they do make a quick stop halfway through, for bathroom, food and drinks, but everything is revised and they get on the same page about the investigation about the time they reach the city limits, it would still be another half hour until the station, so Jihyo takes the time to organise her mess, and Youngjae to make himself look presentable, Mina was always flawless so she just kept driving (she also never trusted anyone to take the wheel for any journey longer than one hour).

 

Everything goes as protocol demands once they arrive, Mina introduces herself to the Busan chief, she was fairly new and hadn’t met many other in person yet. They talk to the team and set out to the crime scene, Jihyo begins doing her thing, followed by Youngjae and one of the Busan juniors, Mina staying outside and explaining how the process worked to the rest of the team that tagged along, the head investigator, a small woman named Kim Carol, mixed with an australian mother as she claimed. Once Jihyo stepped out, about two hours later, to say the Busan team was dumbfounded once they stepped back inside would be an understatement, the woman managed to pinpoint five times more evidence than they all managed to find together.

 

Mina bids them farewell shortly after, she still had to be back in Seoul that evening, and the duo proceeds to the morgue, time to look at the body and hear what the doctor had to say. Detective Kim drove them, with the junior who had followed Jihyo and Youngjae in the house. The doctor walks them through everything and, once more, the prodigy detective points out so many things the Busan team had started feeling like toddlers tumbling around dead bodies.

 

“Don’t be so hard on yourselves.” Youngjae offers, once Jihyo had stepped out to take a call from a doctor, she didn’t really explain. “She is just special. We don’t do better then you over in Seoul as well, she is the one that keeps being called over and makes us feel like blind men in a blacked out room.”

 

“That is a very precise way to put it.” The mortician agrees, dr Yen. “But her observation skills are off the charts, I’ve never seen anything like this.” 

 

“The older detectives back home have a secret club to hate on her for it.” The young man mumbles, but is heard anyhow. “Don’t let her know, but I believe she already does.”

 

“If she has those skills, she already knows indeed.” Detective Kim joins the conversation. “I’d like to talk to her more, who knows when I’ll be able to meet a mind like that again.”

 

“Just, please, please, don’t come onto her.” That garners some curious looks, but continues pleading regardless. “Please, don’t take interest just to drop her in the blink of an eye.”

 

They don’t get to ask for more as the woman comes back to find her junior teary eyed and the others looking at him as if he had just gone through a meltdown out of the blue. She shakes it off and they go back to work, might as well get this done as soon as they could and, maybe, go back home earlier. Indeed, detective Kim got enticed by Jihyo, as all did at one point or another, and once wednesday evening had rolled around and the Seoul duo declared they would be leaving the next morning, there was nothing else to do there, and they had to connect the case with everything they had back home, Kim throws the plea she had gotten from the visiting junior and asks her out for dinner.

 

It happens as it always does, Jihyo sits down, looked like the restaurant was popular among cops, Carol had greeted five people before they got to their table. They order drinks while buying time to look through the menu, when a group of detectives arrives, Jihyo was certain, they all screamed cop, but didn’t hold the tan they should if they weren’t detectives. Her host demeanor changes once she sees someone among the group, she’d been here before, more times than she cared to count, but she was leaving in a few hours and could use the free food at least. It was only at the end of dinner that she tells Carol to either talk to the young man she had been looking at all night or let him go, inviting others to try and forget wasn’t very nice, than thanks her for the dinner and leaves.

 

Youngjae was tailing them all along and, for the first time, he understood why chief Myoui and Im-sunbae told him to protect their friend and try everything he could to keep something like this from happening. He must admit, those hadn’t been his best efforts, and just face the shame once he got back, Jihyo taking a seat in front of him brings the young man out of his thoughts. She is looking peaceful, but her eyes are filled with so much sadness it twists the knife already in his heart.

 

“Don’t worry too much, this is normal.” Jihyo just raises a hand before her junior can say whatever he was meaning to. “Just don’t let those two know and your job will be safe. I know they chose you specifically because you are married and not an option, and I do thank you for having tried.” She chuckles. “Don’t look so surprised, you weren’t that stealthy back in the morgue.”

 

“You really do see everything.” Youngjae relents.

 

They decide to walk around a little, take in the warm and salty air of Busan one last time before they are back in the cement jungle that’s Seoul. They are ready to leave a few minutes after they arrive back in their hotel, at least it was a nice one, looks like Mina pushed for something better than the standard. The first train was at eight, and both detectives woke up too early, thinking the schedule was the same as the train leaving from Seoul, and that gave them an idle half hour, which they used to abuse the hotel’s catering services and ended up boarding the train and begging the couple sitting next to the toilet to switch with them in anticipation of any incidents. They were a nice couple and maybe slightly frightened by the greenish color on the cops faces, and agreed to the change easily.

 

Nayeon is the first one to spot her friend once she is back, immediately she knew something went down, her instincts were telling her it wasn’t about the junior she sent along though. Jihyo would talk to her later, now, there was work to do and she was really not in the mood to have her friends spewing those idiotic speeches about how everyone had someone destined to be with them. Pure bullshit, that was the propaganda people who have relationships try to make you believe so they don’t feel that bad about you being lonely around them.

 

The rest of the week goes by and, once more, Jihyo chooses to spend her weekend at her cube, working was her way of getting out of socializing and she hated being dragged places by her friends just to spend too much on mediocre drinks while listening to bad music and seeing all the couples around her trying to get her to meet new people. She didn’t want to meet new people, she already hated enough people, but that didn’t seem to stop Nayeon, Tzuyu or Dahyun from dragging her to strangers and getting her into awkward situations. Jihyo was honestly tired of it all.

 

In about three weeks would be Momo’s birthday, and that was something Jihyo had to, at least, show up for and be seen at, not a very enticing future but a social obligation nonetheless. And it did come by faster than she expected, though, and here we have a very distressed detective trying to think of a gift for her friend. Screw it, a gift card for a dinner for two in a nice restaurant will have to do, not like the woman would complain anyways. And she could take Sana on a nice date, so Jihyo went through a few google searches and a lot of phone calls but she found a great sushi place that did have what she was asking for. 

 

It was a quick stop, and only took her twenty minutes off-route to get it, but the ‘delay’ would guarantee that more people would have arrived at the bar and she would definitely be seen enough to ensure everyone knew she went, and then Jihyo would be free to leave, go get some pizza, chicken and pepsi (she doesn’t appreciate coke that much, deal with it) and get home to a night of wallowing in self pity, before watching a horror movie to distract herself and force herself to sleep. It was a friday night, she could run to her cube tomorrow and work the day away to forget she ever went out at all.

 

Regret was the first thought going through Jihyo’s mind when she parked her bike outside the club Momo had chosen for the evening, well, the beginning of the evening at least. The music could be heard from outside, already a lot of drunk people hanging at the door, a few by the alley, looking like their intestines were about to spill throughout the pavement (she made the sensible choice of parking across the street, and close enough to a lamppost but far enough for people to not pee on her only love). But, this was one of the social obligations she needed to fulfil if she wanted to be left alone, Sana would surely brage into the station and try to slap her across the face if she missed it today.

 

So, Jihyo chugs down the rest of her water bottle, places it back into the holder, locks her baby properly and grits her teeth, might as well get it over with already. Getting in was faster than she hoped, maybe too fast, and Jihyo makes her way to the bar to get some cranberry juice with cherries and ice, it passes as a drink easily and her friends should be tipsy enough to not question it. Finding the birthday girl was another challenge in itself. The group was at a table in the back, and part of the dancefloor had to be crossed to get there, thank the mandatory gym sessions for providing the strength to push her way through.

 

“Ji! You came!” Sana is the first one to notice her. “And you already have a drink!”

 

“I couldn’t not come, right?” Jihyo answers and accepts the hug. “Now let me get squished by Momo already and get it over with.”

 

“Like you don’t love it.” The taller woman teases.

 

Jihyo thinks ‘I really don’t’, but says nothing. She just makes her way to Momo, who already has her arms open and is waiting for her to fall into the embrace. Not that Jihyo doesn’t love her friends, but she’s been touch starved for so long that this kind of thing just makes her feel worse. Maybe she’ll call for a company for the evening later, wouldn’t be the first time, certainly not the last, and it should distract her enough to not cry to sleep that evening, this club would give her enough of a headache already.

 

“Thanks for coming.” Momo whispers, still holding her.

 

“Not for that. I do have a gift for you, though.”

 

“You know showing up is enough.”

 

“Still got it, though.” Jihyo pushes herself away, reaching into her coat and pulling out a small card.

 

The reaction is what she was expecting, Momo’s eyes lit up and she sloppily kisses Jihyo’s cheek, then she pulls Sana and shows her the dinner gift. They both pull Jihyo to another hug and relay their gratitude, not that the detective expected anything different, she was known to gift perfectly among her friends, they never seemed to reciprocate the care however. Not that she could really blame any of them, she wasn’t that important after all.

 

As promised, Jihyo was up and in her cube saturday morning, trying to wrap up the paperwork that had been reproducing on her desk, seriously, they had multiplied overnight there was no way they didn’t. Mina came in around ten, by that time, half the paperwork was already finished, and called Jihyo in. There was no new case,  Jihyo had been doing desk work the whole week, this can’t be good. But the chief called, might as well not leave her waiting and make everything worse.

 

“You needed me, chief?”

 

“Close the door, please.” Mina sounded like she was fighting a hangover. “You never really drank anything last night, did you?”

 

“Nope. Cranberry juice with ice and cherries, looks pretty enough to pass as a drink.”

 

“And there we were thinking you finally allowed yourself some fun.” There is a bit of resent in Mina’s words, but it’s ignored.

 

“I don’t need alcohol to have fun. And I showed up, that should count for something.” Jihyo really wasn’t feeling it.

 

“When are you going to believe we really do care for you? We had someone to introduce to you and when she got there, you were nowhere to be seen.”

 

“I believe you care for me.” It was honest, but not the whole truth. “And if you are talking about that boy who is friends with Tzuyu, I saw him on my way out, he was chatting up some pretty girl by the entrance.”

 

“And who told you he was interested in her, and not willing to meet you?” Now Mina was getting angry.

 

“Don’t. Just don’t.” Jihyo had it. This wasn’t the first time they had this conversation, but today was not a day she was willing to go through this. “I’m not talking about this today and I have other things to do.”

 

“Paperwork isn’t going anywhere and I’m worried. We are all worried, and you aren’t exactly making anything easy.”

 

“You don’t need to worry. Do you need me for anything work related, chief? I should get back to my desk.” And that was Jihyo shutting down the conversation.

 

“Well, detective.” Mina understood to leave it alone for the time being. “You have too many vacations to take, and I have to get you out for a month, at least. No, you can’t just pretend to take it, the order came from above and they will check it. You are off from monday onwards and don’t come back until the new year.”

 

“That’s like, almost two months.”

 

“And not even a scratch on the vacation time you have accumulated. Yes, I’m aware.”

 

“Why are you doing this?”

 

“You need to take some time off.”

 

“Not the real reason, but I see you aren’t ready to be honest with me. I’ll go and finish my paperwork.”

 

With that Jihyo left, and Mina stood in her office feeling even worse than she already was before doing that. She knew the detective hated going on vacation, but Jihyo had already accumulated almost three years worth of vacation time, the higher ups only let it slide because she was the best on the job, but their friend group wanted the woman to rest for once. Nayeon slithered in when she saw it safe, and still found Mina just standing there, looking like she kicked a puppy. She might just have.

 

“She hated it, I take it.” Nayeon started.

 

“Obviously, but that’s not the worst part. She asked me why, and I couldn’t tell her.”

 

“That must have been hard, she looks betrayed whenever we do these things to her.”

 

“I’m afraid she will take it badly. Maybe forcing her to take a vacation was a mistake we’ll never really get out of.”

 

Indeed, Jihyo took it very badly, she hated taking her vacation days because she really had nothing to do, no family to visit, nowhere to go, just sit at home and wallow in the failure her life had come to. Alright, she was the most wanted detective in the country, her closure rate was above 90% and she was professionally respected throughout the entire nation, but if you don’t really have anyone to share anything with, what is really the point on achieving all that?!

 

So, just to really have anything to do other than stay home, get off her meds and try to drown herself in alcohol, she decided moving would be good. If anything, just to have a new neighborhood and new faces to see, also, she didn’t really want her friends popping up as much as they had been lately, pity visits never failed to get on her nerves. So, as soon as she left the precinct, it was a little after lunch, and why not just begin house hunting already, she didn’t have much to do anyways.

 

It took four days, but the new house was great, a quiet and quite exclusive neighborhood, great security, updated cctv with amazing resolution, well illuminated streets, and her small villa was surrounded by neighbours with tall fences on the property line. She would have to install her own security system before moving, but it was a house she had been wanting for some time already. How did Jihyo get to afford it? Well, she got some money when her grandpa passed, he always liked her (reason her parents stopped talking to her too) and there were some royalties from a couple novels she had published over the years. Jihyo got really bored whenever she was forced to take vacation time.

 

To say moving her living room and kitchen last was one of the best ideas she had would be an understatement, Momo and Sana had come to visit one afternoon, unannounced, and Jihyo had been painting her bedroom to sell the apartment, they didn’t bother to ask why she was painting it, everyone agreed it needed a new coating and vacation Jihyo was bored Jihyo, so they just took it face value. Her new place was going through some renovations, minor things, but she had been moving each room as the new one became available. The group had a system, where they would check on her at least once a week whenever she was off work, things had gone south a few years back and nobody wanted that again.

 

“Hey, Ji!” Sana chirped when they found which room she was in. “What’s up with the painting?”

 

“Sana. Momo.” A nod and she is back to painting. “You all already know Mina has put me on vacation, why are you asking?”

 

“Now, let’s not be that grumpy.” Momo tries to lighten things up. “We brought you lunch, and some cranberry juice.”

 

“And why are you two here? What are you all planning with this?” Jihyo doesn’t stop her task, but se does sound annoyed. “I know Mina was hiding something when she chased me out, and I know you all know it too. The only thing left to find out is what, exactly, are you all planning, chasing me away from my job.”

 

“You know what?! Yeah, we are all into it, it’s all a big ploy to ruin your life!” Momo loses her patience. “We are all just trying to get you ruined when we ask you to take a break.”

 

“That’s enough, Mo.” Sana’s voice is firm, halting her fiance’s tirade. “You are on vacation and that’s that. Stop sabotaging yourself and just accept you have to rest. We are going now, don’t forget to eat.”

 

Sana turns and takes Momo by the arm, but Jihyo isn’t about to let them just walk away like that.

 

“I don’t need to self-sabotage, I have enough people doing that for me. You want to know why I’m always working? Not like I’ve never told you, but I don’t have anything else. Nothing. All I can do is work, and it seems that even that is taken from me.”

 

“Get a dog, then.” Momo snaps. Big mistake.

 

“I CAN’T HAVE ONE!” Jihyo’s voice was naturally loud, it gets louder whenever she is angry. “I don’t know if you remember, but my last dog died trying to get a robber away from YOU!”

 

Momo has paled, she didn’t think things through and said what she shouldn’t. They all knew how hard Jihyo had taken her service dog getting stabbed by a robber while saving Momo, she didn’t speak for a month after that and took her even longer to be able to work cases with animals. Sana made to step forward and console her friend, but was stopped at the next words.

 

“Just get out. I don’t want to see you both.”

 

“When?” Was all Sana could ask.

 

“I’ll let you know. Just don’t show up until then.”

 

And the couple leaves after that. Jihyo indeed was hungry, but she wasn’t about to have whatever those two brought, not after this. Sure, her friends would get worried about her, but she hated them for not being honest with their intentions whenever they pulled something like this. And now that brat had the guts to bring up her getting a dog? She had a dog, he helped her with her panic attacks, now he is dead because that very brat didn’t listen to her when told to not go through the alley at night. Moving and not telling them was shaping up to be the best decision she ever made.

 

The next five days were filled with finishing up her new home, giving her old apartment some makeup to look better than it was, and settling in her new place. Now, all that was left for her to do was changing her address on the station HR and she’d be set, she had spent her morning calling anywhere she hadn’t been able to update her information online. With the help of the ONE person she could ask in the station who wouldn’t tell Mina, she found out when the chief wasn’t going to be present and sneaked in to take care of it. Nayeon almost saw her on the way out, but everything went well.

 

Three days after that, Jihyo was woken up by her phone blowing up, looks like it was Dahyun and Jeongyeon’s turn to check in on her. Guess they found out her old apartment wasn’t available anymore, but whatever, not like she was really that worried. With a grumble, Jihyo gets up and stretches, they will call again, no need to hurry to answer.

 

“Yes?” Jihyo, finally, answers with a yawn.

 

“Why are we being told by the doorman you don’t live here?” Jeongyeon sounds very angry.

 

“Because I don’t?”

 

“Jihyo, stop playing and let us up.”

 

“Jeong, I really don’t live in that building anymore.” Jihyo sighs, she could have used the extra sleep and doesn’t need this conversation right now. “Tell you what, meet me at the cafe in half an hour.”

 

“You better show up.” Jeongyeon threatens, Dahyun whispers something, probably trying to calm her wife down.

 

“Or you’ll do what?” The detective chuckles. “Honestly, Jeong, you talk like I’m the one who doesn’t show.”

 

Jihyo hangs up as soon as she says that, maybe it was a low blow, but Jeongyeon needs to be kept in check around her often. The woman was great, but she had this ridiculous sense of superiority that didn’t look good on her at all. There were no ill feelings towards Dahyun, though, she didn’t even know Jeongyeon had been stringing Jihyo along at the time, and she was honestly a good person in general, one of the few that really bothered to sit down and talk to Jihyo, getting to know whatever the officer was willing to share. 

 

True to her words, Jihyo made a point to always be around Jeongyeon, maybe there was a bit of bitterness to it, but she was entitled to it so nobody intervened, detective Park arrived at the coffee shop less than half an hour later. Still in the wrinkled sweatpants she had slept in, she did bother to change her shirt, fix her hair, wash her face and brush her teeth, though. Dahyun counted that as a win, she knew Jihyo would never put in an effort to meet Jeongyeon, but would do it for her. The two had outings every now and then, mainly whenever Mina told them Jihyo was having a bad day, the only other person in the group the detective would try and talk to was Chaeyoung, and that was only because she had been the only one to cut whatever they were working on as soon as she knew they wouldn’t be anything other than friends. It was more of appreciating the honesty than anything.

 

“Glad you decided to show up.” Jeongyeon never really learned when to get off her high horse.

 

“I’m not the one who stands others up. Usually I’m present whenever I say I am.” The venom dripping from each word stops almost comically when she turns to Dahyun. “Hey, Hyunie. You are looking great, love the new hair.”

 

“Thanks, Ji.” Dahyun had learned to just brush over the cold war between her wife and their friend. “When did you move?”

 

“Sana and Momo showed up last week a day before I delivered the apartment.”

 

“You could have told me, I would be happy to help.”

 

“I know you would, but I was getting some work done at the new place too, so I really moved one room at the time.”

 

“Tha-”

 

“Why didn’t you tell any of us you were moving?” Jeongyeon lost her temper again and decided it would be a good idea to just cut the conversation.

 

“Well, I don’t really have to tell anyone anything, do I? I was put on forced vacation and decided I wanted a change of scenery.” The coldness and venom are back.

 

“You have to tell us these things.”

 

“Do I? And why would that be? Because you are my friends? Supposed friends who interfere in my private life at their will? Great friends.”

 

“We worry about you, can’t you see that? God, Sana was right when she said forcing you to take a vacation was a bad idea.” The taller woman looks like she said something she shouldn’t ass soon as she says it, but Jihyo already knew that much.

 

“Sana does contribute with something useful every now and then.”

 

“You know what, this is why you are always left behind. You can’t get your head out of your ass for once.” 

 

“And you can get out of that high horse that isn’t even yours to face reality. You were the one stringing me along, Jeongyeon. Don’t play the innocent and unassuming little girl, it doesn’t suit you.” Jihyo gets up at that, not forgetting to say her goodbye to, perhaps, the only real friend she considers by now. “Call me later and we’ll talk properly, Hyunnie.”

 

With that, Jihyo is gone. Jeongyeon is still fuming, she never took well to being called out, and this thing she had with Jihyo killed her every time it happened, but she was too prideful to step down and own up to her mistakes. Dahyun knew both sides, but couldn’t betray Jihyo and tell her wife whatever they talked about, friends don’t do that with friends, and she knew she was the one person Jihyo considered as such. Time to ditch her wife and get to the bottom of this sudden move.

 

“Why do you always screw things up? She was willing to talk this time.”

 

“Sorry, dubs. I can’t seem to stop being an ass with her.”

 

“It’s alright, but I’m taking the car and meeting up with her.” Dahyun stops her wife as soon as she tries to say something. “And you are going to the station and talk to Mina about this ridiculous plans of yours. I told you it was a ridiculous idea, Sana told you it was a ridiculous idea, and Chae told you to never speak of it again, bout you all ignored us and decided to meddle anyway.”

 

“Yes ma’am.” Jeongyeon doesn’t even raise her head.

 

“I’ll be going, with luck, I can get her to answer my call.”

 

Dahyun just pats her wife’s head and leaves, it wasn’t like she had anything else to say, and Jeongyeon had just lost her right to kisses for the rest of the week anyways. Jihyo did answer the call, she had taken an uber over, and happened to be waiting for the bus to get back home and resume her sleeping. What Dahyun never expected was the be guided to Jihyo’s new place, the detective knew the Kims’ car GPS would track their location, so she attached a signal jammer to it, she also trusted Dahyun wouldn’t spill her new address without her permission.

 

“What are you placing on my car, detective Park?” 

 

“Just a little signal jammer, can’t have my new address recorded just yet.” Jihyo, then points to a small button on the device. “Just press this button once you think you are far enough and it will turn off. You can keep it, just remember to turn it on if you want to visit again.”

 

“Will do. But why this neighborhood? Never thought you were an unnie gangnam style.”

 

“Please, we are not in gangnam. But I like the security here, the entire neighborhood has an up to date cctv system, there is a private security company patrolling the streets and it’s a really calm neighborhood.”

 

“Sounds expensive.” Dahyun didn’t even bother trying to hide the amazement in her voice. “This is a really nice area, though. I’m feeling my car doesn’t really belong roaming these streets.”

 

“Don’t worry too much, I’ve already registered everyone’s cars with the security company. They shouldn’t bother any of you.”

 

“Oh. That’s nice.” The pale woman wasn’t expecting it. “Now, which house is yours? I wanna see how you pimped your crib.”

 

“Okay, promise you’ll never say that again and you can come over anytime.”

 

“Promise.”

 

Jihyo knew Dahyun understood the invitation didn’t involve Jeongyeon and was very thankful that she didn’t need to say it aloud. They understood each other and were fine with the limits in their relationship, maybe it was the one true friendship Jihyo had. To say the younger one was impressed was an understatement, this house was next level rich bitch, it screamed high society and ridiculous money. They all knew Jihyo was well off enough, but nobody expected this.

 

“Okay, are you sure I can be here?” Dahyun wonders aloud. “More importantly, are you sure YOU should be wandering around this area wearing sweatpants and an oversized shirt?!”

 

“Don’t worry too much. They can’t really do much about any of this, and my neighbours are really chill. Mrs Zhao is a writer, I’ve seen her walking around in underwear and a silk robe more than I can count already.” Jihyo says, pointing to the left, then switches to the other neighbour. “Chen is a nice boy, but he builds race cars, and has his own project happening in his garage, so he is always walking around covered in grease. This place was everything I was looking for, and I got a pretty good deal because nobody with enough money to be in this neighborhood wanted to live between these two.”

 

“Saying it like that, I’ll just make myself at home, then.”

 

“Please do. Now let’s go in so I can brag about my new place.”

 

The two women spend the rest of the day walking around the new house, Jihyo pointing out all the things she changed and thought were really cool, like the game setup with the huge screen and all the latest consoles. The detective had voiced her want for something like that many times before, but her apartment never really allowed her to have it. The kitchen was impressive as well, Jihyo’s therapist had suggested cooking as a way to relax and clear her mind, and she got to the level to get her own Michelin stars if she ever wanted to. Dahyun had to admit, the place was amazing, she wondered how much it was spent here, but the thought fled from her mind as soon as Jihyo brought them to the kitchen and declared she was making dinner.

 

It’s only a couple days later that Mina calls, her passive anger had brought fear to the hearts of many, but not Jihyo, never Jihyo. So the detective lets a few calls go by, purposefully adding fuel to the fire that was her friends need to control her life so they could be less guilty about themselves. When the calls are answered, though, it starts with a few choice words from both sides.

 

“Chief Myoui, how can I help you?”

 

“Cut the crap, Jihyo. Jeong said you moved and Dahyun isn’t talking.”

 

“I’m sorry, chief, but my private life is private, as I remember. Something about safety reasons and keeping our profession from interfering with how we live off the clock?”

 

“Jihyo, we would really like for you to start talking to us, you know that. And you updated your information with the one person who will never break the rules and tell me where your new place is.” Mina sounds very upset.

 

“I know, that was exactly why I went to Gayoung for this.” Jihyo was honestly getting tired of these talks. “Now, stop trying to coerce people into doing your bidding, I didn’t tell any of you for a reason.”

 

“Nayeon is calling a drinks night on saturday, be there.”

 

“Yeah, sure.”

 

“I’m serious. And don’t pretend you forgot about it.”

 

“Mina, it’s the day after tomorrow and I have no intention of allowing any of you to harass Dahyun for more information.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Fine.” Jihyo just sounds resigned.

 

“Just let us in, you let Dubs in.” Mina pleads, much softer this time.

 

“See you saturday.” And the call is over.

 

To say saturday came too fast was an understatement, it might have something to do with Jihyo sleeping her days away, but it’s just a theory. Very unwillingly, detective Park dragged herself through showering, getting dressed ‘decently’ (as her friends called it) and made sure she ate something before leaving. Once she unlocked her phone to call an uber, Nayeon and Mina had already sent her too many messages demanding to know where she was. She just ignored both and sent a text to Dahyun, saying she was on the way, not having the patience to handle those two at the moment.

 

The fact that Jihyo had arrived at a pub and not a club was already a relief, she could do without the loud bass of cheap electronic music all her life and it would be too soon to hear it again. She had messaged Dahyun once she got close, and the woman was waiting for her at the door, something she was very grateful for. The look on the teacher’s face never brought any good news, though.

 

“Hey Hyunnie!” Jihyo hugs her, an attempt to dispel the nervous atmosphere. It works. “What are they trying to do this time?”

 

“First, they are trying to make you talk to Jeong, Sana and Momo. You know, the usual ‘they messed up but you are the one who should give in first’ thing they like to do.”

 

“Yeah, do you mind, though? I’m not feeling like being nice today.”

 

“Not at all. We are good, and whatever beef you have with the others isn’t my problem.” Dahyun offers an honest smile, she knew to not take for granted Jihyo’s honest friendship. 

 

“What else waits for me inside?”

 

“There is this friend Chaeng is going to introduce you to.” The news are met with a displeased growl. “I know, but she’s nice and doesn’t seem to have any ill feelings about this.”

 

“They never do. I know you are trying to calm me down, but don’t worry. Just don’t try to make this whole thing sound any less like the worst idea ever, I like you too much to hold this over your head.”

 

“That’s…… Fair. I’ll stop trying to pawn them off to you. At least you showed up, or is this still to spite, at least, half of them?”

 

“You know I’m never not rubbing in their faces that I’m always the one to keep promises.”

 

“I’m glad we like each other.” Dahyun jokes as they head inside.

 

“Let’s work hard to keep it that way.”

 

They keep making small talk as both get to the bar and Jihyo buys them some drinks, might as well get some alcohol in her system before heading to her table and trying to power through whatever their group has planned. And try to not be a jerk to whomever this friend o Chaeyoung’s girl is, she can’t really be blamed for any of this, so Jihyo will try to be hospitable.

 

“Ji, you are here!” Tzuyu greets.

 

“I said I’d come.”

 

“Please be nice tonight, Chae brought a friend to meet you.” The taller woman hisses.

 

“I’m always fair, Tzuyu. This new girl has nothing to do with what you all play at.” Before they can continue, Chaeyoung pulls the detective to another table close by.

 

“She’s here!” The smaller one cheers. “Jihyo, this is Chaeyoung, Jennifer and Jisoo.” She introduces pointing each one out.

 

“It’s Jennie, you dumb dwarf!” The cat eyed woman bites, the other two laugh.

 

“I’m Jihyo. Don’t believe half the dwarf tells you about me.”

 

“Hey!”

 

The conversation flows from there, Chaeyoung, the small one, slips away to join her wife at the other table, and Dahyun joins them for a while at some point. It becomes obvious that Jisoo is the one they meant to introduce Jihyo to, Jennie and Chaeyoung did tell her they were together, so that helps coming to the conclusion. Jisoo is a nice girl, a bit on the weird side, but pleasant to be around, and Jihyo allows herself to think of asking her out on a real date before she goes home that evening.

 

But we didn’t get here with things working out for our grumpy, loveless detective, so like clockwork, Jennie and tall Chaeyoung come back from the dancefloor and announce the arrival of a Lisa, and the shift happens just like that. Jisoo stops being so interested in whatever Jihyo had to say, she keeps asking when this Lisa was to arrive, her stories become less personal and she gets giddy whenever the name is mentioned around her. So Jihyo steers to conversation to a dead end and excuses herself fairly easily, being the best detective in the country isn’t all fun and games, she saw too many things people tried not to show.

 

Maybe others would say she should stop looking for things to break her own heart, but what nobody understood was that she saw things she never wanted to, it wasn’t her fault she was born like that, she didn’t want to see how she met people who were already involved with other people one way or another. It wasn’t her looking for the signs that things weren’t going to work out for her, she wanted to be happy too. What nobody saw was that Jihyo kept showing up for these things because she was trying, she wanted someone to go home to, someone she could confide in, someone to take care of and be cared by. The thing she heard the most was why did she keep saying she wanted to meet new people if she was just going to give up anyways.

 

Jihyo stayed at the bar for a while longer, trying to get buzzed enough to get home and sleep, otherwise she would end up crying and doubting her worth all over again. Maybe she should call her therapist, but that could wait until tomorrow, right now, she needed to drink and slip away before anyone noticed. It wasn’t that complicated, the only people who noticed her absence had been Dahyun and Chaeyoung, the pale woman came by and asked if she was leaving soon, just asking to be messaged when Jihyo had arrived home. The smaller one just looked from across the pub with questioning eyes, and gave a tight lipped smile when she got a wave of the hand.

 

Outside was chilly, but Jihyo had arrived on the drunken state she had been aiming for, so she didn’t mind it much. Her uber was on the way, but waiting for it right outside the pub would be a bad idea, Nayeon should be looking for her soon and she really didn’t want to talk right now, so the bus stop it was. It was a little away from the entrance, but it had a place to sit and some cover from the snow, if the woman there didn’t talk to her everything would be great. But we don’t do great in this life, of course the woman wanted to talk.

 

“Tough night?” The woman asks after a while.

 

“I should be used to it by now.” Jihyo chuckles bitterly.

 

“At least you are still trying. Don’t be too hard on yourself, I’m sure you are doing great.”

 

“We never saw each other before.”

 

“Maybe, but you look like someone who tries too hard. Don’t look so surprised, your whole self screams ‘please notice me’.”

 

“I don’t think you are making much sense. But you look like you didn’t drink enough, despite being clearly drunk.”

 

“That’s because I didn’t. I’ll finish the job when I get home.” The woman looks about to say something else, but a bus arrives and she hops in with a wave.

 

“You talk to strangers at a bus stop but not your friends.” Not a question, and the hurt in Mina’s voice is clear.

 

“The stranger in the bus stop didn’t demand anything I wasn’t willing to give. She also respected the limits.”

 

“You are just being ridiculous now.”

 

“No, Mina. I’m treating you all fairly. You think you are all high and mighty, but all you want is to hook me up with anyone so you all can go back to ignoring the skeletons in your closets.” Jihyo spits. “I’m tired of this, please introducing me to people who obviously don’t have any interest. I get that you all must think singles just want to meet any other single, but it’s very far from the truth.”

 

“Come on, you were talking so nicely with that Jisoo kid. Then you get all cold and leaves, it’s not the first time and I doubt it’ll be the last.”

 

“Don’t go there, you have no right. Jisoo isn’t interested and I’m not sticking around for when the girl she wants will arrive.”

 

“Don’t you want to try and not be a stubborn asshole for one night? She looked interested in you.”

 

“And that’s why I’m the best at what I do, chief. I just wanna go home and deal with this howeverI decide. Have a good night and I’ll see you when you decide my suspension is over.”

 

Jihyo enters the uber and leaves before Mina can say anything. Chief Myoui comes back inside to see her friend’s words proven correct. Jisoo was already wrapped around another woman, hanging onto every word she was saying, with eyes that she never aimed at Jihyo, not even a glance. Mina feels another cut in her heart, they all always hated when Jihyo was right.


End file.
